The Iraqi governorate elections were held for the first time in almost 10 years on December 18, 2023, after many delays, mostly due to the demonstrations demanding the end of the existing political system in 2019.[1] Governorates under the KRG did not participate. For the Assyrians, reserved seats were allocated in the following governorates: Basra, Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Ninewa. While the goal of these seats being reserved is to have Assyrian community representation in the respective governorate councils, Iraqi election law allows anyone, be it Assyrian or not, to vote for them. This had led to the Assyrian reserved seats be hijacked by pro-Iranian parties, with mobilization of mostly Shia Arabs voting for the Babylon Movement.[2]

Going into the elections, the pro-Iranian affiliated Babylon Movement was looking to win seats in the governorates for the first time, matching its success in the two previous Iraqi parliament elections. Independent parties continued to complain of the reserved Assyrian seats being at risk of taken by candidates of the Babylon Movement, through votes by non-Assyrian voters.[3]

The other two main groups were the Athra Alliance, headed by the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM,) and the Hammurabi Coalition, a group formed by the Kurdistan Democratic Party-member and KRG Minister of Communication during the time of the elections, Ano Abdoka.

Driven by the hope of countering Babylon Movement's recent big wins through votes generally outside of the Assyrian community, ADM established the Athra Alliance in July 2023, and was joined by the Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council, Assyrian Patriotic Party, Beth Nahrin Patriotic Union and Sons of Mesopotamia.[4] Four days prior to the elections, the alliance issued as statement complaining about other parties spreading false rumors that their candidates were withdrawing from the elections.[5] The statement assured that the alliance is still participating and stressed their candidates are the best to represent the community.[6]

Ano Abdoka's Hammurabi Coalition was joined by the Chaldean Catholic Church-backed Chaldean League, the Chaldean National Council, the Chaldean Democratic Union Party and the Syriac Assembly Movement.

Results[7][8]

  Winner

Basra Governorate

Candidate List/Party Votes Notes
Fahram Hayek Agnateos AgheekIndependent1,375
Nael Ghanem Aziz Hanna SakoBabylon Movement954
Faris Farang Nasuri Salman BataHammurabi Coalition383

Baghdad Governorate

Candidate List/Party Votes Notes
Faez Sabah Aboush Ayoub SamanBabylon Movement3,340
Remon Jameel Hermiz Yousif HamudaHammurabi Coalition303Head of administration of Chaldean League Erbil branch[9]
Shrara Yousef Zara IshaqAthra Alliance195Sister of Lara Zara, Alqosh sub-district manager

Kirkuk Governorate

Candidate List/Party Votes Notes
Ameel Putros Qanstantin Ibrahim AghaIndependent1,493
Anjel Ziya Shiba Al-BarwariBabylon Movement1,301
Walantina Walem Yousef Jalu YousefAthra Alliance793
Luay Adel Yousef Petros Al-Qas RufaelHammurabi Coalition516
Karam Ramez Ostin Ablahad OstinIndependent235

Ninewa Governorate

Candidate List/Party Votes Notes
Rabea Yousef Elias Jajo SoranBabylon Movement6,022Head of Hamdaniya Agriculture Department
Haithem Salem Baho Petros KakiHammurabi Coalition3,240
Ma’rib Imad Elias Rafo HannoAthra Alliance1,272Head of Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union[10]
Reyath Qariyo Hanna Mikha QariyoIndependent438

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Iraqi government indefinitely postpones local elections".
  2. ↑ "Iran-backed party secures large number of minority seats in Iraqi parliament". 14 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Head of Athra Alliance criticizes election law ahead of Iraqi provincial elections". 4 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "بلاغ". July 23, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Athra Alliance rejects manipulation of quota seats, urges active participation in Iraqi provincial elections". 13 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "إيضاح من تحالف اثرا". December 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Candidates Names" (PDF). 15 December 2023.
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ "عمكاباد يحاور مرشح ائتلاف حمورابي لمقعد بغداد ريمون جميل هرمز".
  10. ↑ "مأرب عماد مرشح تحالف اثرا لمقعد نينوى يتحدث عن برنامجه الانتخابي".
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