Pre-elections and candidacy rates
General candidates' participation rates
In total, 7743 candidates competed for 329 seats of membership of the Council of the
Representatives.22 On Oct. 2nd, 2025, the total number of candidates registered for the 2025
parliamentary elections reached 1,047 candidates. Of these, 759 were men, and 288 were women,
meaning that women represented 27.51 percent of all candidates.23 The electoral competition
included candidates affiliated with 11 political parties, 10 electoral alliances, and 14 independent
candidates. These figures reflect numerical participation rather than guaranteed political influence,
particularly relevant in light of the structural and social barriers discussed throughout this report.
Women Candidate Participation Rates
The 2025 parliamentary elections saw unprecedented levels of women's participation as candidates
(Table 4). According to IHEC, women constituted 2,248 of the 7,768 total candidates, approximately
30% of all those seeking parliamentary seats.24, 25This represents the highest proportion of women
candidates since Iraq began holding parliamentary elections in the post-2003 era.26
The surge in women's candidacies reflects both the structural incentives of the quota system, which
incentivizes parties to nominate women, and growing political mobilization among women's
organizations and civil society groups. Twelve women headed electoral lists, including four in the
Kurdistan Region, marking a notable advancement in visibility and leadership roles within party
structures.2728
Table 4: Women's candidacy trends in Iraqi parliamentary elections
Election Cycle
Total Candidates
Women Candidates (%)
2025
7,768
2,248 (30%)
2021
3,249
951 (92.3%)
2018
6,990
2,011 (28.8%)
22 Independent High Electoral Commission. (2025, October 2). أسماء المرشحي المصادق عليهم النتخابات مجلس النواب العراف2025
ي
[Web page]. Independent High Electoral Commission. https://ihec.iq/candidates-names-3/
23 INSM for Digital Rights. (2025). – أنفوغرافيك2025 ات ف انتخابات مجلس النواب العراف/[ التوزي ع الديموغراف للمرشحيWeb page].
ي
ي
ي
INSM for Digital Rights. https://insm-iq.org/?p=1979
24 The New Arab. (2025, December 11). Iraq's women MPs hold more seats but little sway. https://perma.cc/P679-WQHZ
25 Kirkuk Now. (2025, October 6). Women Make up 30% of Candidates for Iraqi Parliament. https://perma.cc/SX4S-ACR6
26 The New Arab. (2025, December 11). Iraq's women MPs hold more seats but little sway. https://perma.cc/PKV3-WVTL
27 Rudaw. (2025, October 9). Iraq sees a surge in women-led electoral lists. http://archive.today/2peAa
28 https://data.ipu.org/parliament/IQ/IQ-LC01/election/IQ-LC01-E20211010/
20