Councils elect new governors on first day of new session

In a big day for local governance across Iraq, many provinces elected or re-elected their governors.

In Baghdad, Ammar Al-Qaisi from Azm Alliance was elected as the council president.

In Anbar, the provincial council elected Mohammed Nouri Al-Karbouli as governor, with Yasser Rashid Muhanna and Khaled Thuwaini assuming the roles of administrative deputy and technical deputy, respectively. The council also elected Omar Mashaan Al-Dulaimi as the council president and Akram Khamis as vice president.

Kirkuk‘s election process faced a delay as the provincial council couldn’t convene due to a boycott by Arab and Turkmen factions, postponing the appointment of a governor. Kurdish and Christian representatives were present, but the absence of a legal quorum put off the session indefinitely.

Salah Al-Din‘s Governor, Ahmed Al-Jubouri, committed to expanding job opportunities across the governorate, amid a charged political environment and allegations of bias in local governance. Al-Jubouri’s election stirred controversy, with the Al-Sadiqoun bloc criticizing the election due to an earlier agreement on a different candidate.

Nineveh witnessed the re-election of Abdul Qadir Al-Dakhil as governor, with Ahmed Al-Hasoud elected as council president and Mohammed Al-Jubouri as deputy president, following the resignation of the former governor in November 2023.

Basra‘s Provincial Council unanimously re-elected Asaad Al-Eidani for a second term as governor, in a decision that surpassed opposition from the Shia Coordination Framework. Khalaf Al-Badran was elected as the council president and Usama Al-Sahd as vice president.

Najaf‘s provincial council chose Yusuf Makki Kanawi as governor, alongside Emad Al-Musawi as the first deputy governor and Karar Mahbooba as the second deputy governor.

Diyala provincial council decided to delay the session for electing the president of the council until further notice.

Muthanna provincial council also postponed the session for electing its president and vice president.

Lastly, Wasit reaffirmed its confidence in Governor Jameel Al-Mayahi, re-electing him for a second term, with Ali Hussein Sulayman as council president and Ms. Wanis Al-Shammari as vice president.