Diyala Council chooses speaker ending months in stalemate

Shafaq News/ After months of political wrangling and failed attempts to form a government, the Diyala Governorate Council has finally elected its new speaker. Council member Omar al-Korawi has been chosen as the council's chair, with Salem al-Tamimi serving as his deputy.

The election, which took place amidst heightened security measures, brings to an end a prolonged period of uncertainty and political deadlock in the multi-ethnosectarian governorate. The previous attempts to form a government had been thwarted by deep-seated divisions among council members, particularly over the selection of the council chair and governor.

The path to forming the new government was fraught with challenges. Earlier in the day, a scheduled council session had been postponed due to a lack of quorum, as several members had boycotted the meeting. Protests had also erupted outside the al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad, the host of the meeting.

Acting Council Speaker Turki al-Ataibi called for a resumption of the first session, which was initially convened in February, in an attempt to break the deadlock.

The inability to form a new government in Diyala has led to growing frustration among residents, who have taken to the streets to demand an end to the political stalemate. The council has been divided into two main factions: one supporting the reappointment of al-Tamimi and another opposed to it.

Council Member Darya Khairallah on July 14 called for dissolving the Council that has failed to reach an agreement.