Iraq's Election Aftermath: 101 Complaints Filed as Leading Alliance Awaits Government Formation

Joumana Al-Ghalai, spokesperson for Iraq's Independent 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 confirmed in a press statement that these complaints are divided into 44 concerning special voting for military and security forces, as well as displaced individuals, and 57 related to the general vote. She noted that all complaints are currently "under classification by the commission."

The commission will categorize these complaints into three levels of severity:

Green, Yellow, and Red.

Green and Yellow complaints pertain to the electoral process within polling centers or their vicinity and do not impact the overall results.

Red complaints—if validated—will require a recount and sorting of ballots in the affected area, potentially influencing the election outcomes.

The commission is expected to classify these complaints in the coming days, with judicial authorities set to announce their final stance within a 10-day timeframe.

In related news, the Independent Electoral Commission announced on Wednesday that the Reconstruction and Development Alliance, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, secured the top position in the parliamentary elections, garnering 1,317,346 votes, thus becoming the largest bloc in the new parliament.

In his first comments following the preliminary, unofficial results, Al-Sudani stated that his alliance "is open to all national forces without exception and will work with a spirit of objective and legal responsibility that reflects the sacrifices of the Iraqi people."

The Iraqi judiciary emphasized the need for prompt dialogue among winning blocs to form the government, asserting that the constitutional steps following the validation of results include:

1. The commission will submit a request to President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid to convene the new parliament within 15 days.

2. The first session will be held under the chairmanship of the oldest member, opening nominations for the presidency of the parliament and its vice-presidents.

3. A new president of the country is to be elected within 30 days.

4. The largest bloc will be tasked with naming a candidate to form the government within 15 days and submitting the ministerial cabinet to parliament within 30 days.

Sources indicated that these constitutional timelines typically extend over four months but may be shortened to expedite government formation, as seen in previous legislatures.