Kirkuk Provincial Council elects new governor amid boycott by key parties

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — In a contentious meeting held in Baghdad, the Kirkuk Provincial Council elected new leadership, including a new governor, despite a boycott by several key political groups.

Rebwar Taha of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) was elected as the new governor of Kirkuk, while Ahmad Hafez was chosen as the speaker of the provincial council, and Ibrahim Tamim was appointed as the first deputy governor. The election was conducted with the participation of nine out of 16 council members, including five from the PUK, three members of the Arab component, and one member of the Babylon Movement.

Notably absent from the meeting were members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Turkmen Front, and additional Arab representatives. The boycotting parties, including three Arab members, two from the Turkmen Front, and two from the KDP, condemned the meeting as "unconstitutional and illegal." They have announced plans to challenge the legitimacy of the session by filing a complaint with the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq.

The election took place against the backdrop of ongoing political tensions in Kirkuk, a region marked by its diverse ethnic and political landscape. The absence of these key factions in the election process raises questions about the future stability and governance of the province.