Iraq’s Mutahidoon party slams new province proposal

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraq’s Mutahidoon (United) Party rejected a proposal to create a new province comprising Tal Afar, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains districts.

In an official statement, the party, led by former Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, criticized the Iraqi Council of Representatives for enabling what it described as “trial balloons” during a period of legislative paralysis and minimal attendance, stating, “It is truly unfortunate that the Council has been transformed... into a platform exploited by some to introduce ideas aimed at dividing Nineveh along sectarian, ethnic, and religious lines.”

Mutahidoon also condemned the proposal as a divisive scheme, accusing its advocates of seeking to undermine national unity and destabilize Nineveh. The party emphasized the province’s longstanding identity as a model of coexistence, noting, “Throughout its proud history, [Nineveh] has been known for its diversity, cooperation, and harmony.”

The party urged Nineveh’s representatives to resist attempts to fuel internal discord, calling on residents to defend their province’s collective identity and historical legacy.

Mutahidoon’s position comes in response to a recent call by the Badr parliamentary bloc, which argued that establishing a new administrative unit would strengthen minority protections and address long-standing marginalization.