Baghdad [Iraq], November 13 : Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's coalition has secured the highest number of votes in the country's parliamentary election, officials announced on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported.
The nationwide vote was held on Tuesday at a time when Iraq is witnessing one of its rare periods of stability despite tensions across the region.
According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, al-Sudani's "Reconstruction and Change" coalition received around 1.3 million votes, about 370,000 more than the nearest rival group. After the initial results were released, al-Sudani said the 56 per cent turnout was "clear evidence of another success" and reflected the "restoration of confidence in the political system."
Still, frustration was visible across several regions. Many Iraqis chose not to vote, especially in Baghdad and Najaf, after influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr urged his followers to boycott what he described as a "flawed election, " as per Al Jazeera.
Results followed usual patterns in most provinces, Shia parties led in Shia-majority areas, Sunni parties performed well in Sunni regions, and Kurdish groups dominated in Kurdish territories. But there were unexpected outcomes too. In Nineveh, a mainly Sunni province, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won the most seats. In Diyala, where many Kurds live, no Kurdish candidates won, something that has not happened since 2005.
With 329 seats in Iraq's parliament, no single group has enough numbers to form a government alone. This means political parties will now begin negotiations to build alliances.
Since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, Iraq has held six national elections. The country continues to struggle with the effects of conflict, corruption, weak public services and the impact of ISIS, Al Jazeera reported.
Whoever becomes the next prime minister will face major demands from citizens, more jobs, better education and healthcare, and repairs to Iraq's damaged infrastructure.
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