Masrour Barzani on referendum anniversary: A blessed and enduring memory of the victory of the people’s will

Masrour Barzani on referendum anniversary: A blessed and enduring memory of the victory of the people’s will

Sep 25 2026

ARK News.. Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani congratulated the people of Kurdistan on the anniversary of the Kurdistan Region’s independence referendum.

In a post published on his official X account, Barzani said: “A blessed and enduring memory of the victory of the people’s will.”

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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