Shafaq News– Babil
The Babil Provincial Council failed on Saturday to convene a scheduled session to select a new governor after it fell short of the required legal quorum, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Speaking to Shafaq News, the sources indicated that the session, planned at the Babil Resort, was postponed after only eight of the council’s 18 members —including the council president— attended, well below the number needed to proceed with voting.
The council opted to delay the session to a later date, to be determined once quorum requirements can be met.
In response, the Sadiqoon Movement, led by Qais Al-Khazali and affiliated with former Babil Governor Adnan Fayhan recently elected as First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, accused rival political forces of deliberately blocking the vote to prevent its nominee from advancing.
The movement indicated in a statement that its candidate was selected based on “competence, integrity, and strength,” asserting that opponents pressured and “discredited” several elected council members to disrupt the session. It added that any response from its supporters would remain within constitutional and legal frameworks.
Public pressure has been growing in Babil against political power-sharing arrangements, locally known as “muhasasa.” Council member Mohammed Al-Mansouri noted earlier this week that such arrangements have become increasingly unpopular, adding that the council now faces a critical test following recent protests.
On Tuesday, dozens of residents demonstrated in the province, calling for the appointment of former lawmaker Amir Al-Maamouri as governor and arguing that the selection should be free from party quotas and centralized political decisions.
Observing that the ongoing civic movement reflects rising public awareness, Al-Maamouri described efforts to choose a governor outside the quota system as a “positive step.” He added that any candidate should secure a majority of “50 percent plus one” within the council to ensure political legitimacy.