Badr al-Fahl named Salahaddin governor

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Salahaddin’s provincial council on Sunday chose Badr al-Fahl as its new governor, a month after his fellow party member Ahmed al-Jubouri’s appointment to the post was rejected by Iraq’s president.

Jamahir party, led by Jubouri, nominated their senior member Fahl for the position last week. The party received the highest number of votes in Salahaddin during December’s provincial council elections, obtaining four spots on the 15-seat council.

Fahl’s nomination was approved with 13 votes during Sunday’s council session.

“I extend my sincere thanks to the chair and members of the Salahaddin provincial council for their support of my candidacy for the position of Salahaddin governor,” Fahl wrote in a statement on Facebook.

The appointment still needs to be approved by a decree from Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid.

Fahl previously served as a member of the Iraqi parliament from 2014 to 2018, and has been a member of the Supreme National Commission for Accountability and Justice since the start of the year.

Jabouri was appointed Salahaddin governor by the council in early February, but Rashid rejected him because of his “criminal background” and corruption accusations against him.