The Chaldean Church in Iraq rejected on Thursday any "corrupt or armed" individuals seeking to represent Christians in the country's upcoming parliamentary elections, stressing that its loyalty remains solely to Iraq and its people.

In a statement, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and worldwide, urged Iraqis--particularly Christians--to participate widely in the elections scheduled for November 11, 2025. He called on voters to "choose those most qualified to serve Iraq without discrimination--those known for sincerity, integrity, and respect for the nation's diversity and sovereignty."

Cardinal Sako emphasized that the Church rejects representation of Christians by figures "tainted with corruption or by armed groups controlling towns and resources in the Nineveh Plain," warning that the Christian component "will not be a tool or fuel for such internal forces."

He revealed that the Church had formally requested Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to restrict voting within the Christian community to ensure fair representation for its various denominations, including the Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Syriacs. "However, our request was not implemented."

According to Sako, the IHEC has pledged to uphold minority rights by extending protections under its minority representation framework and adopting measures to safeguard their presence and role in public life.

"Christians, despite their wounds, will not surrender and will continue striving to secure their constitutional rights that guarantee their future and existence." The Church, he added, "will never sell itself nor submit to injustice; its loyalty remains unlimited to Iraq and its people."

Iraq's 329-member parliament allocates nine seats to minority communities: five for Christians--one each in Baghdad, Duhok, Nineveh, Erbil, and Kirkuk--alongside one for the Shabak in Nineveh, one for the Feyli Kurds in Wasit, and one for the Sabean-Mandaeans in Baghdad.

Campaigning for the parliamentary elections began on October 3, marking the start of a month-long race ahead of the November 11 polls.