Iraq's Legislative Elections: 101 Complaints Filed as Reconstruction Coalition Emerges Victorious
Jumana Al-Ghalai, the spokesperson for Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, announced on Thursday that the commission has received a total of 101 complaints related to the legislative elections held last Tuesday.
Al-Ghalai stated in a press briefing that the complaints include 44 related to special voting for military and security personnel, as well as displaced individuals, and 57 concerning general voting. She noted that all complaints are currently being assessed by the commission.
The complaints will be categorized based on their severity into three classifications:
Green, Yellow, and Red.
Green and Yellow complaints pertain to issues during the electoral process that do not affect the overall results.
Red appeals, if validated, may necessitate a recount and sorting of ballots in the relevant areas, potentially influencing the election outcomes.
The commission is expected to finalize the classification of these complaints in the upcoming days, with judicial authorities set to announce their conclusions within 10 days.
In related news, the Independent High Electoral Commission reported on Wednesday that the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, has emerged as the largest bloc in the new parliament, securing 1,317,346 votes.
In his initial remarks following the preliminary results, Al-Sudani expressed that his coalition is "open to collaboration with all national forces" and emphasized a commitment to act responsibly in light of the sacrifices made by the Iraqi people.
The Iraqi judiciary underscored the necessity for prompt dialogue among the winning blocs to facilitate government formation, confirming that the constitutional procedures following the ratification of the results include:
1 _ The commission will request President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid to convene the new parliament within 15 days.
2 _ The first session will be chaired by the oldest member, who will oversee the nomination process for the presidency of the parliament and its deputies.
3 _ A new president of Iraq is to be elected within 30 days.
4 _ The largest bloc will be tasked with proposing a candidate to form the government within 15 days, with the cabinet to be presented to parliament within 30 days.
Sources indicate that while these constitutional timelines typically extend to four months, they may be expedited to facilitate quicker government formation, as seen in previous sessions.
