Basra governorate election, 2009

Basra Governorate election, 2009

← 2005 31 January 2009 (2009-01-31) 2013 →
All 35 seats for the Baghdad Governorate council
First party Second party Third party   Leader Nouri al-Maliki Abdul Aziz al-Hakim al-Faiz Party State of Law Coalition Al-Mehraab Martyr List Gathering of Justice and Unity Last election 3 20 0 Seats before 3 20 0 Seats won 20 5 2 Seat change 17 15 2 Popular vote 239,007 74,879 34,862 Percentage 37% 11.6% 5.4% Swing 5.4%   Fourth party   Leader Muqtada al-Sadr Party Sadrist Movement Last election 2 Seats before 2 Seats won 2 Seat change No change Popular vote 32,020 Percentage 5.96% Swing
Governor of Baghdad before election Muhammad al-Waili Fadhila Subsequent Governor Shitagh Abbud State of Law Coalition

Muhammad al-Waili
Fadhila

Shitagh Abbud
State of Law Coalition

The Basra governorate election of 2009 was held on 31 January 2009 alongside elections for all other governorates outside Iraqi Kurdistan and Kirkuk.

One seat in the election is reserved for Assyrian Christians

Basra is the main oil-producing and transit centre in Iraq, which has led to intense competition over control of its Governorate. It has been the centre of competition between the al-Maliki Federal government, which controls the police and army, the Islamic Virtue Party Governor of Basra which controls the Oil Protection Corps and local militias from the Sadrist Movement and Tharallah. Following the Battle of Basra in 2008, the central government seized control of the city's streets from the Sadrist Movement and the security situation improved.

In April 2007, SIIC successfully brought a no-confidence motion against Governor Waili. This dismissal was ratified by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in July, but eventually overturned by the Supreme Court.

The central government has organized "Local Support Committee" militias, has spent $100 million in reconstruction projects and has started paying unemployment benefits in the province. This was expected to lead to an increased support for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Islamic Dawa Party.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Virtue Party dropped Waeli from its candidate list, reportedly due to his "polarizing" effect.

In a move away from their traditional apolitical stance, a list with a core support from the Shaykhiya religious community stood for the first time.

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Wikipedia