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.
| Candidate | List/Party | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fahram Hayek Agnateos Agheek | Independent | 1,375 | |
| Nael Ghanem Aziz Hanna Sako | Babylon Movement | 954 | |
| Faris Farang Nasuri Salman Bata | Hammurabi Coalition | 383 | |
| Candidate | List/Party | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faez Sabah Aboush Ayoub Saman | Babylon Movement | 3,340 | |
| Remon Jameel Hermiz Yousif Hamuda | Hammurabi Coalition | 303 | Head of administration of Chaldean League Erbil branch[9] |
| Shrara Yousef Zara Ishaq | Athra Alliance | 195 | Sister of Lara Zara, Alqosh sub-district manager |
| Candidate | List/Party | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameel Putros Qanstantin Ibrahim Agha | Independent | 1,493 | |
| Anjel Ziya Shiba Al-Barwari | Babylon Movement | 1,301 | |
| Walantina Walem Yousef Jalu Yousef | Athra Alliance | 793 | |
| Luay Adel Yousef Petros Al-Qas Rufael | Hammurabi Coalition | 516 | |
| Karam Ramez Ostin Ablahad Ostin | Independent | 235 | |
| Candidate | List/Party | Votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabea Yousef Elias Jajo Soran | Babylon Movement | 6,022 | Head of Hamdaniya Agriculture Department |
| Haithem Salem Baho Petros Kaki | Hammurabi Coalition | 3,240 | |
| Ma’rib Imad Elias Rafo Hanno | Athra Alliance | 1,272 | Head of Beth Nahrain Patriotic Union[10] |
| Reyath Qariyo Hanna Mikha Qariyo | Independent | 438 | |