Iraqi Militias Reject ‘Scam’ Election Results, Vow to Appeal

Despite their early threats resulting in the Election Commission giving them several more seats, the main Iraqi militia bloc, Fatah, is continuing to call the most recent election a “scam” and promising to appeal in the next few weeks.

The election’s plurality went to the Sadrist Movement, with over 70 seats. Fatah has been second place before, and the largest opposition bloc, but is falling far and fast after the latest vote with an estimated 15 seats.

Parties with strong militias were long seen as an inevitability in Iraqi politics, but there is growing discontent with corrupt older parties, and a sense that they lack vision on the future of Iraq.

That was good news for Sadr’s anti-corruption message, and a disaster for Fatah, whose militias seem less relevant as time moves on from the ISIS War they were so involved in.

Though its not clear what the coalition will ultimately look like, it’s probable Fatah will again be relegated to the opposition, though even there, a loss of seats means much less visibility.