The Quota Mechanism and Seat Allocation
Under Iraqi electoral law, at least 25% of parliamentary seats must be held by women.15 This quota
operates at the governorate level. In each province, seats are first allocated to women on the basis of
their vote total. When direct competition yields insufficient numbers of women to meet the 25%
threshold, additional women with the next-highest vote totals are added until the quota is satisfied in
every province.16
For example, in Baghdad, 17 of the 69 seats (approximately 25%) are reserved for women. If fewer
than 17 women win seats through standard seat allocation, the quota is completed by adding the
highest-polling women candidates from various lists until 17 women hold seats. 17
This mechanism ensures a floor for women's representation but does not guarantee that women win
seats through competitive strength. The 2025 data show 70% of women MPs (59 of 84) entering via
the quota rather than direct victory and illustrates that the quota functions primarily as a
compensatory mechanism rather than a reflection of voter preference for women candidates. 18
Regional Variations
Comprehensive seat-by-seat breakdowns by name and party affiliation are not readily available in
accessible English-language sources. However, provincial results point to regional variations in
women's representation:
Baghdad: 17 women among 69 total seats (24.6%), including quota seats.19
In the KRI, women’s electoral participation in the 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections was notably
strong, particularly in Duhok, where women constituted 47.3% of all voters, casting nearly 296,000
ballots and recording the highest female participation rate in Iraq. Across the KRI, overall turnout was
also high, with 77.61% of eligible voters participating in Duhok, 71.82 % in Erbil, and 60.47%, shown
in Table 3.20
Nineveh: The KDP secured five seats, including quota allocations. The province’s diverse ethnic and
religious composition is reflected in the allocation of both minority and women’s quota seats.21
15
United Nations Iraq. (n.d.). Elections for Iraq's Council of Representatives FACT Sheet.
https://perma.cc/437Z-YRSP
16
Next Century Foundation. (2025, November 6). 2025 Iraq Parliamentary Election: Between Representation
and Control. https://perma.cc/BA5D-W7MJ
17
Ibid.
18
The New Arab. (2025, December 11). Iraq's women MPs hold more seats but little sway.
https://perma.cc/JQD3-5K8C
19
Next Century Foundation. (2025, November 6). 2025 Iraq Parliamentary Election: Between Representation
and Control. https://perma.cc/8L8Y-QZHS
20
Rudaw English. (2025, Nivember 18). Women Voting in Iraqi Parliamentary Election.
https://x.com/rudawenglish/status/1990818431688389049
21
Kurdistan 24. (2025, November 16). Iraq's Electoral Commission Announces Final Parliamentary Election
Results. https://perma.cc/YK9W-J8HW
18