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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Establishing a federal region south of Iraq, called Basra Federal Region (إقليم البصرة) is supported by a number of Iraqi political parties. The Iraqi constitution allows any province to become a region with independent powers.[1]
In November 2008 Wael Abdul Latif, an Independent Islamist MP backed by tribal Sheikhs, submitted a petition to the Electoral Commission of Iraq signed by 34,800 people calling for a vote on a region of Iraq covering only the governorate of Basra.[2] The Sadrist movement opposed the move, saying it was "playing with fire" as did the Islamic Dawa Party of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq remained neutral, as it supports a nine-province Region covered the whole of southern Iraq. As the petition was signed by more than 2% of the population, the commission published an official request for signatures; if more than 10% of the population had signed it before 15 January 2009, a referendum would have been held within 15 days.[3][4] In the event, the initiative failed to reach 10% and was struck down by the Electoral Commission. Backers accused the al-Maliki federal government of blocking their media campaign and appealed the decision to the Federal Court.[5]
In September 2014 a number of locals in Basra participated in a demonstration near the headquarters of the local government in Basra, demanding the transfer of the province to a federal region.[6]
As of early 2015, the majority of the political parties, which objected to the federal plans for Iraq on the pretext that they would lead to division, are now supporting the project.[7] The Shia cleric, Ayatolla Sistani is said to disagree on establishing the Basra Region.[8]
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