Iraq vote stands after recount
Source: Agencies |
May 17, 2010, Monday
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IRAQ'S electoral commission yesterday affirmed the victory of a Sunni-backed bloc in the March election as a partial recount of votes in Baghdad failed to back up the Shiite prime minister's claims of fraud.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki demanded the recount after losing out by two seats to challenger Ayad Allawi. Baghdad province accounts for so many seats in parliament that a significant change in the vote tally could have tilted the overall results in al-Maliki's favor.
"The number of the seats are still the same and didn't change," electoral official Qassim al-Abboudi told reporters.
The official added that results of the recount "are compatible" with the original results announced in March.
"I hope that all political blocks are satisfied now that the electoral process was honest and all allegations of fraud and forgery were totally incorrect."
The recount and other challenges to the March 7 election have prevented the seating of Iraq's new 325-member parliament and raised fears that insurgents will try to exploit the political vacuum caused by the prolonged political bickering to unleash a new wave of violence just as US troops prepare to go home.
While the recount results were a setback for al-Maliki, they do not give Allawi the mandate to form the next government. Neither coalition has been able to secure the 163-seat majority needed to do so.
Al-Maliki appears close, however, after his State of Law bloc formed an alliance early this month with another Shiite coalition, the Iranian-backed Iraqi National Alliance. Together, the Shiite allies are only four seats short of the needed majority.
The alliance is already struggling with internal bickering, but if their agreement holds, the Shiite parties are almost certain to form the next government, possibly cutting out Allawi's Iraqiya list altogether.
The difference in the Baghdad recount amounted to about 3,000 votes, al-Abboudi said, which did not change al-Maliki's two-seat win over Allawi in Baghdad or the overall outcome across the country.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki demanded the recount after losing out by two seats to challenger Ayad Allawi. Baghdad province accounts for so many seats in parliament that a significant change in the vote tally could have tilted the overall results in al-Maliki's favor.
"The number of the seats are still the same and didn't change," electoral official Qassim al-Abboudi told reporters.
The official added that results of the recount "are compatible" with the original results announced in March.
"I hope that all political blocks are satisfied now that the electoral process was honest and all allegations of fraud and forgery were totally incorrect."
The recount and other challenges to the March 7 election have prevented the seating of Iraq's new 325-member parliament and raised fears that insurgents will try to exploit the political vacuum caused by the prolonged political bickering to unleash a new wave of violence just as US troops prepare to go home.
While the recount results were a setback for al-Maliki, they do not give Allawi the mandate to form the next government. Neither coalition has been able to secure the 163-seat majority needed to do so.
Al-Maliki appears close, however, after his State of Law bloc formed an alliance early this month with another Shiite coalition, the Iranian-backed Iraqi National Alliance. Together, the Shiite allies are only four seats short of the needed majority.
The alliance is already struggling with internal bickering, but if their agreement holds, the Shiite parties are almost certain to form the next government, possibly cutting out Allawi's Iraqiya list altogether.
The difference in the Baghdad recount amounted to about 3,000 votes, al-Abboudi said, which did not change al-Maliki's two-seat win over Allawi in Baghdad or the overall outcome across the country.
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