President Barzani on referendum anniversary: A voice for history, a memory for generations
ARK News.. President Masoud Barzani said on Friday, Sep. 25, 2026, marking the ninth anniversary of the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum, that the referendum represents “a voice for history and a memory for generations.”
On the ninth anniversary of the independence referendum, President Barzani wrote on X: “A voice for history, a memory for generations.”
Barzani’s message commemorated the historic event in which the people of Kurdistan expressed their will and aspirations, stressing that the milestone will remain firmly rooted in collective memory and inspire future generations.
The Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum was held on Sep. 25, 2017, with around 93 percent of participants voting in favor of independence and the establishment of an independent Kurdish state. The referendum results were as follows:
Registered voters: 4,581,255
Number of voters: 3,305,925
Invalid ballots: 219,990
Final number of valid votes: 3,085,935
Final results:
Yes: 2,861,000 votes (92.73%)
No: 224,468 votes (7.27%)
On June 7, 2017, the decision to hold the referendum was taken during an expanded meeting held in Salahaddin and chaired by President Masoud Barzani, with the participation of Kurdistan Region leaders, representatives of political forces and parties, representatives of the components, and the head of the Independent High Electoral Commission.
The meeting resulted in the formation of the Supreme Council for the Referendum and the setting of Sep. 25, 2017, as the date for the vote, covering the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish areas outside the administration of the Region.
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