Bringing the reporting on Iraq’s October 10 election full circle, the Independent Election Commission has issued final results after a full manual recount. The figures are broadly the same as were reported a month and a half ago.
Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s party remains victorious with 73 seats. The Sunni Taqaddum came in second at 37, with Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law at 33, and the Kurdish Democrats at 31. Fatah, the party of Shi’ite militias, remained a distant 17 seats.
This is the result given after the vote and before the recount. When Fatah refused to accept the results and threatened violence, the commission temporarily shifted the results to 70 for Sadr and wiped out a number of independents to try to boost Fatah.
This eventually led to a full recount, when Fatah didn’t want to accept those results, and ironically they now seem to be back to 73-17. They’ll be no more happy with the results now, but after months of recounts, their options are very limited.
Sadr campaigned for an independent Iraq less dependent on the US and Iran, and for anti-corruption reforms. This was popular with voters, but has made it difficult to see him forming a coalition government with parties mostly opposed ideologically to him.
There has been talk of setting up a caretaker government in light of this, temporarily running the nation until a new election or some such can be organized.
I am not so sure that he cannot form a government. We are assuming ideological
framework that existed at the time of battle for Mosul and subsequent failed Kurdish call for referendum executed brilliantly by Peshmerga Kurds that squashed US favored PKK transplants from Turkey. And it allowed Iraq to take over airports and borders, in fact, Peshmerga in coordination with Turkey preemptively acted to strike a blow to PKK controlled Kirkuk and Sinjar.
There is a reason our media never mentions Peshmerga — once declared heroes, now not mentioned any more,
I would not be shocked to see Kurds in coalition. The other two will not take Shia party in coalition. but on their own they do not have numbers.
This man is the force that prevented Bush from turning Iraq into an American Colony. Along with Sistani they put the presure on when needed, then demanded & got elections. Not the appointment of leaders by the U.S. administrator/Governor. He and his Mahdi Army, defied the U.S and lived to tell the tale. He was never buoght, blackmailed, coerced or outright forced to quit the fight. At one point he was framed for a murder, but beat that one straight out. No plea bargain or exile. He just never lost or quit. He is a national hero of immence stature. And it was all done intelligently and peacefully. What a man…!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep and hopefully we will take out the troops
Sadr was originally a Shiite militia leader, and we often during the War there saw reference in our media to the “Sadrists” as militia allies of Iran.
He lived in Iran and got his religious authority from is training and connections there.
Fatah may be Shiite militia too, but it is error to presume that their loss is a loss to all Shiite militia.
The US never considered Sadr to be a reliable ally against Iran.
Nor is there any reason why he ought to be, given his values and background and followers.