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Iraqis count votes in second parliamentary since 2003 U.S.-led invasion

March 08, 2010
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Iraq is counting votes Monday a day after millions braved threats of insurgent violence to participate in Iraq's second parliamentary election since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Iraqi officials estimate the turnout in Sunday's vote at between 55 and 60 percent. They say early vote tallies show the Shi'ite-led State of Law faction of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki leading in Shi'ite regions of the country. Official results will not be released for several days.

The main challengers to Mr. Maliki's faction include his former Shi'ite religious allies in the Iraqi National Alliance and also the secular Shi'ite-Sunni Iraqiya faction led by former prime minister Iyad Allawi.

The grouping that wins the most seats in Iraq's 325-member parliament gets to nominate a prime minister. But, no single faction is expected to win an outright majority. The largest faction will need to put together a coalition government, a process that could take months.

Insurgents tried to disrupt the election with a series of rocket and bomb attacks that killed 38 people. U.S. President Barack Obama said Iraqis had shown courage and resilience by defying threats to advance their democracy.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised Iraqi forces who were assigned to protect voters, saying election-day violence appeared to be less than expected. U.N. envoy to Iraq Ad Melkert called the vote a triumph of reason over confrontation and violence.

But, former prime minister Allawi questioned the credibility of the commission that managed the election. He accused the commission of failing to accurately and objectively check and count the votes.

Iraq's next government faces the challenge of overseeing the withdrawal of U.S. troops, scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

VOA News

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