Assyrian politics in Iraq have been taking many different turns since the US invasion of the country in 2003. Today, there are many different Assyrian political parties in Iraq. The main Assyrian party that came out from the 2005 elections was the Assyrian Democratic Movement. However, Sarkis Aghajan began to challenge its power beginning in 2006 with the opening of Ishtar TV and the KDP-affiliated Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council.
As of 2025, owing to continuous violence and political marginalization, Assyrians no longer have proper political representation in Iraq. Many of the seats that are reserved for the community have since been hijacked by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Babylon Movement under the leadership of Rayan al-Kildani.
1992 Kurdistan Region general election
On May 19, 1992, elections were held for the Kurdistan National Assembly (KNA,) the parliament of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. At the time, the National Assembly had 105 seats. The parties representing the Assyrian community competed in a closed list guaranteeing that there would be five Assyrian seats in the KNA. There were four Assyrian lists in the elections: Assyrian Democratic Movement Kurdistan Christian Unity of Sarkis Aghajan Democratic Christians Chaldo-Ashur Communist Party
ResultsIraqi Kurdistan Political Development and Emergent Democracy By Gareth R V Stansfield, Inc NetLibrary. page 201.
ADM KCU DCKADDohuk 5,555 1,841 181241Erbil 900 880 347 1,855Sulemani83 36 9 38Darbandikhan (parts of Kirkuk) 4 - - -Total 6,54354% 2,75723% 5375% 2,134 18%
A minimum of 2,400 votes was required to win a seat. ADM won four seats and one was won by the Kurdistan Christian Unity. The names of those elected into the parliament: Yonadam Kanna (ADM) Shamil Benyamin (ADM) Francis Yousif Shaba † (ADM) Akram Ashur Odisho (ADM) Sarkis Aghajan (KCU)
Francis Youif was assassinated on June 1, 1993, in Dohuk.J. C. Michael, “The Chaldo-Assyrian Cause in Iraq: Implications for Maronites”, National Apostolate of Maronites Convention, Orlando, Florida, July 16, 2004 Experts regarded that several parties that participated in the election, namely Aghajan's KCU, were proxies for bigger Kurdish parties, with each party being controlled by a different organization.
January 2005 Iraqi parliamentary election
A general election was held on 30 January 2005 to elect a temporary 275-member Council of Representatives of Iraq. It was the first time in the history of Iraq (outside of KRG-areas) that Assyrian political parties had been allowed to be part of the electoral system. In the elections, there were three different Assyrian lists; National Rafidain List (204) - Yonadam Kanna Assyrian Democratic Movement Assyrian National Assembly (139) Assyrian National Congress Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party of Sargon Dadesho Bet-Nahrain Democratic Coalition (148) Beth Nahren Patriotic Union Syriac Independent Gathering Movement
Chaldean National Congress was initially part of list 204, but ended up dropping off before the election. Chaldean Democratic Union Party (CDUP), Assyrian Patriotic Party (APP) and Bet Nahrain Democratic Party (BNDP) of Romeo Hakkari joined the Kurdistani list (130). Before the elections, Minas Ibrahim of the Democratic Christian Party was kidnapped in Mosul, but was released a month later without ransom.
Rafidain204 ANA139 Bet-Nahrain148Anbar10 1 4Arbil958 106 217Babil104 72 101Baghdad7,430 1,210 1,472Basra120 153 179Diyala219 114 56Dohuk4,165 155 137Karbala44 57 75Kirkuk978 599 389Missan15 29 29Muthanna10 22 18Najaf56 59 63Ninawa3,346 97 302Qadissiya38 57 48Salahadin10 18 31Sulaymani99 39 174Thiqar68 101 92Wasit47 32 27Out-of-country voting18,538 4,198 727Total36,255 7,119 4,141
In all, six Assyrians were elected to the parliament. National Rafidain list got the minimum required votes for a seat in the parliament and it was given to Yonadam Kanna (ADM.) Other Assyrians that were elected into the parliament include Goriel Mineso Khamis (BNDP), Nuri Potrus 'Atto, Ablahad Afraim Sawa (CDUP) and Jacklin Qosin Zomaya (APP) all under the Kurdistani list (130.) Wijdan Michael was elected under Iyad Allawi's secular list.
2005 Iraqi governorate elections
On the same day, Iraq held a local governorate elections in all 18 governorates. Assyrian political parties participitated in 4 of the 18 local governorate elections. The only Assyrian party that won a seat in any governorate was the Assyrian Democratic Movement in the Nineveh Governorate. The party received 4,650 votes and captured one seat (out of 41.)
Rafidain204 Bet-Nahrain148 Minimum votes per seatArbil2,001 - 15,120Dohuk4,919 - 8,918Kirkuk1,554 - 8,727Nineveh4,650 2,315 3,451
In addition, Salvana Boya of the Assyrian Patriotic Party was elected in the Kirkuk Governorate council under the Kurdistani list.
2005 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election
Elections for the Kurdistan National Assembly, the parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, were held on 30 January 2005, to coincide with the Iraqi legislative election and governoral council elections. All Assyrian-based parties joined the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan. The coalition won 104 of the 111 seats in the parliament, of which 5 were won by Assyrians: (in order as they were in the coalition list) Jamal Shamon Yalya (CCS) - 69 Romeo Hakkari (BNDP) - 71 Bayzar Milko Rohan (CDUP) - 72 Andreaus Youkhana Georgis (ADM) - 73 Galawesh Shaba Hojji (ADM) - 76
December 2005 Iraqi parliamentary election
A general election was held on 15 December 2005 to elect a permanent 275-member Iraqi Council of Representatives. The elections took place under a list system, whereby voters chose from a list of parties. In the elections, there were three main Assyrian list: National Rafidain List (740) - had only one party, the Assyrian Democratic Movement. Patriotic Beth Nahrain (Al-Nahrain National) (752) Beth Nahren Patriotic Union Chaldean National Congress Assyrian Patriotic Party Syriac Independent Gathering Movement Chaldean Democratic Forum Hikmat Hakim (Independent) Assyrian General Conference (800)
The Chaldean Democratic Forum, a party led by Saeed Shama that also advocated for a separate Chaldean identity, took part in elections for the first time. Other Assyrian parties decided to side with non-Assyrian based list. The Chaldean Democratic Union Party decided to run under the Kurdish list (730.) The Iraqi Christian Democratic Party of Minas al-Yousifi joined the list of the Iraqi National Dialogue Front (667.) Bet Nahrain Democratic Party of Romeo Hakkari withdrew.
Rafidain740 Nahrain752 AGC800Anbar33 - -Arbil1,705 42 -Babil45 - -Baghdad9,986597 148Basra97105 -Diyala92 62 -Dohuk4,867 200 135Karbala15 - -Kirkuk1,751 136 134Missan18 - -Muthanna28 - -Najaf91 - -Nineveh9,010 3,487 194Qadissiya27 - -Salahadin204 - -Sulaymani197 - -Thiqar19 - -Wasit11 - -Out of country voting16,067 4,081 1,218Total44,263 8,710 1,829
Nineveh GovernorateRafidain740Nahrain752KDP/PUK730Allawi731Tel Keppe 1,013 502,060 150Bakhdidaزهريرا نت 2,2022,5137442,854Karamlesh 637155187256Alqosh 80478271653Bartella 1,4071725001,496Batnaya 21427892202Tel Skuf 485362,030720
In all, three Assyrians were voted into the parliament. ADM succeeded in capturing one parliament seat in the Baghdad governorate, which was given to the secretary of its party, Yonadam Kanna. Fawzi Hariri (KDP) and Ablahad Afraim Sawa (CDUP) under the Kurdistani list (730) for the Arbil governorate were voted in as well.
2005 Iraqi governorate elections
A local governorate election was held on January 31, 2009, in Iraq. There were no elections in the heavily-Assyrian populated north governorate of Dohuk and Arbil (including Slemani and Kirkuk.) 440 seats in 14 (of the 18) Iraqi governorates were up for grabs.
In the last local governorate elections, only one seat (in Nineveh) was won by Assyrians (ADM.) Unlike the 2005 local elections, minority groups had reserved seats ahead of the election. Three seats were reserved for Assyrians; one each in the governorates of Nineveh, Baghdad and Basra.
In the election, there were three main Assyrian blocks fighting for votes. The Assyrian Democratic Movement being one, under the list titled National Rafidain List (504). The other being a Kurdistan Democratic Party-backed block titled the Ishtar Patriotic List (513).
The Ishtar Patriotic List included the following: Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council Bet Nahrain Democratic Party Chaldean Democratic Forum Chaldean Cultural Society Beth Nahren Patriotic Union Syriac Independent Gathering Movement
The third major list was the Chaldean Democratic Union Party (503).
Nineveh Governorate Rafidain504 Ishtar513 CDUP503 KDP/PUK236Bakhdida 1,733 7,061150 -Bartella 600 2,000 - -Karamlesh 360 513 80136Bashika796473 -Alqosh 512 481 103 872Baqofah 45 66 47 73Tel Squf 304 742 240 607Batnaya 226200 36490Ainsifni 33590 - -Other towns1,9501,960196 -Total 6,14413,760855 -
Baghdad Governorate Rafidain504 Ishtar513 CDUP503Total 3,4804,334 986
Basra Governorate Rafidain504 CNC512 CDUP503Total 221214 227
The Nineveh seat was won by Saad Tanios Jaji of SIGM. The Baghdad seat was won by Gewargis Isho Sada of the BNDP. The Ishtar Patriotic List decided not to run in the Basra elections, however, it supported the Chaldean National Congress (CNC.) The Basra seat was won by Saad Matti Boutros of the CDUP.
2009 Kurdistan Region general election
The Kurdistan Region held elections to elect its 111-member Kurdistan National Assembly on 25 July 2009. Five seats were reserved for Assyrians. There were 8 Assyrian parties that initially signed up to participate in the elections. Prior to the elections, the BNDP decided to withdraw. APP and KACP decided to run on a joint list. CDUP and CNC also merged in a joint list called the "United Chaldean List".
Most Assyrians living in Ankawa were largely reluctant to discuss politics before the election and were unconfident in politicians' ability to attain their rights. The lists that ran as part of the elections also expressed differing political motives; while the CSAPC list ran for the recognition of the three names as one people, the Unified Chaldean List wanted to be considered a separate group and threatened to file suits in the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq.
Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council List (68) Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council National Rafidain List (67) Assyrian Democratic Movement Self government List (65) Assyrian Patriotic Party Chaldo-Ashur Communist Party United Chaldean List (64) Chaldean Democratic Union Party Chaldean Democratic Forum
Results Total SeatsDohukZakhoShaqlawaDianaHaodianAnkawaErbilKoysanjaqArmota Other Votes % 2005 2009 Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council2,426 1,990 463 167 14 1,179 19 15 18 4,304 10,59553.9 - 3 Assyrian Democratic Movement3,703 362 173 170 28 93040 6 12 266 5,69028.3 2 2 Chaldean Democratic Union PartyChaldean National Congress 281 30 32 55 365 1 9361,700 8.61 - Chaldo-Ashur Communist PartyAssyrian Patriotic Party 244 78 10 23 - 883 3 439 1,680 8.5- -
The politicians that were elected to parliament are as follows: Thair Abdalahad Ogostin (CSAPC) Susan Yousif Khoshaba (CSAPC) Amir Goga Yousif (CSAPC) Salem Toma Kako (ADM) Jihan Ismael Benyamin (ADM)
2010 Iraqi parliamentary election
A parliamentary election was held on 7 March 2010. The parliament previously approved to increase the number of seats from 275 to 325, of which 5 seats were reserved for Assyrians. The reserved seats for Assyrian in Iraqi parliament was the first in the country's history. Going into the elections, four Christians were in the parliament: Yonadam Kanna (ADM), Fawzi Hariri (KDP,) Ablahad Afraim Sawa (CDUP,) and Wijdan Michael (Allawi list.)
The Assyrian Patriotic Party, Chaldean Democratic Forum, and the Bet Nahrain Democratic Party announced on November 15, that they would create an alliance.
Five major lists have been created for the election;