Iraqi Turkmen minister denounces exclusion from Kirkuk administration

Iraqi Turkmen Minister Aydin Maruf on Friday condemned the exclusion of Turkmen from Kirkuk’s new local administration, describing the recent meeting of the Kirkuk Governorship and Council Presidency as unconstitutional.

Maruf labels Kirkuk meeting unconstitutional

Maruf, who is also a member of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) Executive Board and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister for Ethnic and Religious Groups, said during a press conference that the decision to exclude Turkmen from the local government structure was unacceptable. He emphasized that issues in Kirkuk cannot be resolved through unilateral decisions.

“We cannot accept that Turkmen are being left out of the local administration in Kirkuk,” Maruf said. “This action is against the constitution, and problems in Kirkuk cannot be solved through such impositions.”

Calls for inclusive governance in Kirkuk

Maruf underscored the importance of an administration that includes all ethnic and political groups in Kirkuk, including the Turkmen, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and segments of the Arab population. He argued that the current local administration is incomplete and lacks legitimacy without their participation.

Maruf also addressed the upcoming parliamentary elections in the KRG, revealing that the Turkmen community plans to participate not only through their allocated quota but also with a separate list under the Iraqi Turkmen Front. He expressed hope that this strategy would strengthen Turkmen representation.

Following the elections, Maruf called for amendments to the electoral law to increase the number of seats allocated to each ethnic group from five to 15. He stressed that such reforms are essential to ensure fair and adequate representation for all ethnic groups within the KRG.