Babil council sets mechanism to choose new governor
Shafaq News– Babil
The legal committee of Iraq’s southern Babil Province’s Council on Monday outlined the mechanism for selecting a new governor, saying the process will be carried out under formal procedures aimed at choosing a qualified candidate.
Former governor Adnan Fayhan was elected first deputy speaker of parliament on Dec.29, during the first session of parliament’s sixth term, following the selection of Haibet al-Halbousi as speaker, leaving the Babil governorship vacant.
In a statement, Committee head Rajeh al-Shammari said the selection would follow the officially approved framework adopted by the council, stressing that the goal is to appoint a figure capable of managing the next phase in line with local priorities. He called on eligible citizens who meet the legal requirements to submit their candidacies through official channels, adding that council members retain full authority to make their choice without political pressure or influence from parties or supporters.
Former Babil lawmaker Amir al-Maamouri described recent public engagement over the governor’s post as a positive step toward raising political awareness, while urging the council to ensure any candidate secures a simple majority vote. In recent days, activists in Babil have held public discussion sessions on the governor’s selection, opting for dialogue rather than street protests.
The post has become a point of competition between the State of Law coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, headed by Qais al-Khazali.
Babil has a history of unrest linked to governance disputes. In 2020, the provincial council voted to dismiss its chairman and deputies in response to mass protests, following the leak of an audio recording allegedly involving orders to security forces to arrest demonstrators and block roads. The decision came hours before nationwide demonstrations against the government of then-Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, amid accusations of systemic corruption.
