Shafaq News – Basra
The Basra Provincial Council on Tuesday began collecting signatures to transform the oil-rich province into a federal region under Iraq’s constitutional framework.
According to a document obtained by Shafaq News, Deputy Council Chairman Osama Abdul-Ridha Al-Saad submitted a formal request calling on the council to reaffirm its previous decisions on the proposal and urging the Iraqi government to refer the file to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to initiate the required legal procedures.
The document cites constitutional provisions and the Law on Executive Procedures for the Formation of Regions No. 13 of 2008 as the legal basis for the move, and includes a list of signatures from council members, with participation by Governor Asaad Al-Eidani. It also authorizes the council chairman to assign the legal department to pursue any related judicial steps, with the option of engaging external legal offices if necessary.
Calls to form federal regions have periodically resurfaced in Iraq since 2003. In Basra, the issue has regained prominence amid complaints over weak public services, stalled development projects, and what residents describe as insufficient authority and funding to address local needs.
Read more: Basra activates legal process to pursue regional status
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