Kirkuk council convenes amid boycotts, legal disputes

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kirkuk Provincial Council is set to hold its first meeting since the controversial election of its governor and chairman. However, the session will be marked by the absence of several key parties, casting a shadow over the council’s ability to function effectively.

The Sovereignty Alliance and the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) have announced their refusal to participate in the meeting, while the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) remains undecided. This leaves only nine out of the sixteen council members expected to attend.

According to Kurdistan 24's correspondent in Kirkuk, the meeting's agenda includes discussions on employing citizens as contractors, amending the council's internal regulations, and filling positions allocated to the Turkmen Front.

However, the Turkmen Front has made it clear that they intend to boycott the meeting, insisting that "positions should not be distributed until their complaint in the Federal Court is resolved." This complaint challenges the legality of the election of the Kirkuk governor and the formation of the local government.

The controversy stems from an August 10th meeting in Baghdad, known as “the al-Rasheed Meeting”, where nine council members, including five from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), three Sunni Arabs, and one Christian representative, voted to elect Ribwar Taha as governor and Mohammed Al-Hafez as council head.

This election was boycotted by the KDP, the Turkmen component, and some Arab members, who criticized the meeting for being held without their consent and in violation of prior agreements. The head of the Turkmen Front condemned the election as illegal and vowed to pursue legal action to overturn it.

The KDP bloc has further fueled the discord by stating it will only attend the council meeting if it receives an official invitation from the oldest member, adding another layer of complexity to the already tense situation.

Read More: Kirkuk provincial council meeting sparks controversy as Turkmen Front boycotts

The boycotts and legal challenges highlight the deep divisions within the Kirkuk Provincial Council and raise concerns about its ability to address the pressing needs of the diverse communities it represents. As the council convenes, the shadow of political discord looms large, threatening to hamper progress and stability in this ethnically diverse province.