Exclusive: External political interventions disrupted Nineveh Council, says MP

Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, Luqman Al-Rashidi, an MP from Nineveh, confirmed that political interventions from outside the governorate have caused disruptions in the work of the Nineveh Provincial Council over the past period.

Al-Rashidi told Shafaq News, "The political interventions by external entities (unnamed) were the primary cause of the political crisis the Provincial Council has faced,” adding, "Without external interventions in Nineveh's affairs, the disagreements and disruptions in the Council's work would not have occurred."

The MP called on Council members to “activate dialogue, overcome previous conflicts, and begin a new phase to establish a strong council capable of issuing decisions and legislation that serve the governorate's interests.”

On Tuesday, the Provincial Council held its first session after a three-month hiatus, prompted by a political crisis following a contentious vote on the appointment of administrative unit heads.

The session followed the end of a boycott by the Nineveh United and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) blocs, which had been protesting the decision by the Future Nineveh bloc to replace and appoint leaders of 20 administrative units across the governorate.

Despite the participation of the two blocs in Tuesday’s session, sources indicated that deep disagreements remain unresolved regarding the administrative unit appointments.

A total of 26 out of 29 council members attended the session, with three members absent.