Assad Al-Eidani back as Basra governor

BASRA — The Basra Provincial Council unanimously voted to re-elect Asaad Al-Eidani as governor for a second term. Khalaf Al-Badran was appointed president of the council in a separate vote, with Osama Al-Saad taking the role of vice president.

Al-Eidani, who has served as governor since 2017, is a key figure in the Iraqi National Congress, founded by Ahmed Chalabi. He also heads the Tasmim Alliance.

The political climate in Basra has been particularly tense following the provincial elections on Dec. 18, 2023. The Tasmim Alliance, led by Al-Eidani, encountered opposition from the Shia Coordination Framework (SCF), a coalition of several political parties – many of which are aligned with Iranian policy in Iraq.

Al-Eidani’s last stint as Basra governor was supported by the SCF. However, earlier this year, the coalition decided to replace provincial heads and bring in ‘fresh faces.’

Despite the SCF’s threats to thwart his re-election, Al-Eidani expressed optimism about his prospects in comments to reporters earlier today in the empty council chamber.

This optimism was justified. Approximately half of the Coordination Framework’s deputies abstained from the vote, while the remainder helped ensure a quorum and supported Al-Eidani’s re-election.