On one side of the rift is the Nineveh People Union Alliance, including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which insists on implementing the changes. On the other side is the United Nineveh Coalition, composed of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Sunni parties, which continues to boycott council meetings.
Their dispute is over a decision to replace several district mayors, including the mayor of the Yazidi heartland of Shingal, that was made in a July 2 council meeting that the KDP and the United Nineveh Coalition boycotted.
The PUK, which holds two seats on the council, took over three positions: district mayor of Makhmour, head of the Sinune subdistrict, and head of the Wanke subdistrict. These positions were previously held by the KDP. As of now, the changes have not been implemented.
"The changes are illegal and we reject them. Since the day the council voted on these changes, we have boycotted the council meetings,” Ahmad Dubardani, a KDP member of the council, told Rudaw on Saturday.
The KDP argues that there was no nomination period for the positions given to the PUK. For its part, the PUK says the move was legal.
“We insist that the decisions of the Nineveh Provincial Council regarding the changes to the positions of district mayor and subdistrict heads be implemented, as they are legal and constitutional,” Mohammed Kakayi, a PUK member of the council, told Rudaw.
The KDP’s position is supported by members of the United Nineveh Coalition.
"The positions of the district mayors and subdistrict heads that were open for nomination and later decided upon by the Nineveh Provincial Council have no legal basis,” said Sheikh Ahmed Abd Rabba, a council member from the coalition.
“The step where the district mayor and subdistrict heads were removed on the same day and replaced with others is illegal because the opportunity for nomination was not provided, which is a violation of rights,” he added.
Iraq held its long-overdue provincial elections in December in 15 provinces, excluding the Kurdistan Region. Nineveh, one of Iraq’s multi-ethnic provinces and home to the Yazidi community, saw a 52 percent turnout at the polls.
In February, council members elected Sunni politician Abdulqadir al-Dakhil as governor of the province. Days later, the KDP’s Sirwan Rozhbayani was elected in another vote following lengthy talks.
Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report
