ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Salahaddin provincial council on Thursday elected a new governor following a vote that highlighted ongoing political divisions within the province.
Council members elected Haitham Mahmoud al-Zahwan, who was backed by Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqadum Alliance.
Yasin Mohammed Ali Dawudi, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) sole representative on the council, told Rudaw that the party backed Zahwan.
Council sources said 32 candidates registered to run for the post with the race narrowing to two candidates from rival Sunni political alliances: Zahwan from the Taqadum Alliance and Amjad Mohammed Ahmed from Azm Alliance. Azm is led by Iraqi MP Muthanna al-Samarrai who was a leading candidate for the parliament’s speaker post that ultimately went to Halbousi in December.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which has deepened ties with Samarrai’s alliance in recent years, boycotted the session, KDP council representative Tara Jalal Dawudi told Rudaw.