Via WaPo: Ayad Allawi’s bloc wins most seats in Iraqi parliamentary elections.
There appears to be a potential challenge from the State of Law Party, so I suppose it is safer to stick with “appears” at the moment: “Maliki refused to recognize the results and said he would challenge them in court.” It is also unclear from the article if these are the final and officially certified results. It is interesting to note that Allawi’s strategy appears to have been to attract both Sunni and Shi’ite votes. Certainly a party that draws support across societal cleavages should, at least, theoretically, have the potential for more stable governance. However, charges of fraud and the uncertainly between the exit of the current governing coalition and the formation of the new one, will be one of potential problems. Indeed, how well the current period is navigated will be a signal as to the general health of Iraq’s institutions as well as the ability of the state to provide security.
As the article notes:
Sphere: Related Contentmany Iraqis fear that the political battles could spill into the streets and that the violence could destabilize their fragile nation. Earlier Friday, a pair of bombings killed at least 32 people and wounded 68 in Khalis, a town north of Baghdad.
March 28th, 2024 at 12:20 am
Apparently the (pro-Maliki) security forces suddenly have four (pro-Allawi) Sunni election victors “under investigation.”
March 28th, 2024 at 8:01 am
And, apparently, at least one in custody, two “on the run” and the last “whereabouts unknown.”
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/27/91209/malikis-forces-detain-investigate.html#ixzz0jTCxZFMR
March 28th, 2024 at 8:20 am
[...] h/t: Jim Henley via a comment. [...]