Iraqi Kurdish parliament votes to hold referendum

By Ali Sheikho

ERBIL, Iraq (AA)- By an overwhelming majority of deputies present, Iraq’s Kurdish regional parliament on Friday passed a resolution to hold the Sept. 25 referendum planned by the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).

The non-binding referendum will see residents in provinces controlled by the KRG vote on independence from Baghdad.

The resolution passed by an overwhelming majority of 65 out of 68 deputies in the chamber, while three MPs rejected the resolution in the 111-seat regional parliament.

But two parties, the Movement for Change and the Islamic Group, boycotted the vote, which is the first in two years due to political disputes halting the regional parliament's activities.

On Tuesday deputies of Iraq’s national parliament in Baghdad voted against the Kurdish independence referendum and called on Baghdad to negotiate with the semi-autonomous Kurdish government.

The Iraqi government is opposed to the poll, warning it will hurt the war against Daesh, cause instability, and violate the Iraqi Constitution. Turkey and the U.S. are also opposed to the vote.