Iraq election recount confirms Iyad Allawi victory

[carlablum]

Iraq election recount confirms Iyad Allawi victory

Sunday 16 May 2010 13.55 BST

Allocation of parliamentary seats remains unchanged, with Allawi's Iraqiya bloc on 91 ahead of Maliki coalition's 89

•http://static.guim.co.uk/static/8979...n_facebook.gifhttp://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...-the-s-006.jpg

Iyad Allawi, head of the secular Iraqiya coalition, has said he should have the first opportunity to form a new government. Photograph: Mohammed Ameen/Reuters

A recount of votes in Iraq's general election did not change the allocation of seats, officials said today, leaving the cross-sectarian coalition led by Iyad Allawi with the biggest parliamentary presence.

The secularist former prime minister Allawi's Iraqiya bloc, supported heavily by Iraq's minority Sunnis, won 91 seats in the 7 March vote, edging out the mainly Shia State of Law coalition led by the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, which won 89.

Allawi has insisted that winning the close election should give him the first opportunity to form a new government, but Maliki's bloc has already announced an alliance with the Shia Iraqi National Alliance, which polled third, to form the largest grouping in parliament.

The Shia-dominated alliance could push Allawi to the sidelines and anger Sunnis who supported Iraqiya, raising concerns about a potential revival of sectarian conflict as US troops prepare to end combat operations in Iraq by 1 September.

The recount of 2.5m votes in Baghdad left intact Allawi's two-seat lead. "There is a change, but not a significant change, for the [candidates] inside the blocs. ... The number of the seats stays as is," said Saad al-Rawi, one of nine commissioners on the Independent High Electoral Commission.

Maliki had demanded the recount of votes cast in the capital, alleging fraud. Election officials said when they finished the recount on Friday that they had found no signs of fraud, manipulation or big mistakes. Baghdad was the biggest prize in the election with more than 20% of the seats in the 325-seat parliament.

The length of time it has taken to count ballots and move on to certification of the final results could make Iraq vulnerable. After the last parliamentary election in 2005, violence erupted when politicians took more than five months to negotiate a new government.

Attacks by suspected Sunni Islamist insurgents have killed scores of people in the 10 weeks since the vote, including at least 125 in a wave of bombings and shootings across the country six days ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/iraq-election-recount

[super]

Mods if this has already been posted, then please delete! Thanks

Iraq election recount confirms Iyad Allawi victory

A recount of votes in Iraq's general election did not change the allocation of seats, officials said today, leaving the cross-sectarian coalition led by Iyad Allawi with the biggest parliamentary presence.

The secularist former prime minister Allawi's Iraqiya bloc, supported heavily by Iraq's minority Sunnis, won 91 seats in the 7 March vote, edging out the mainly Shia State of Law coalition led by the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, which won 89.

Allawi has insisted that winning the close election should give him the first opportunity to form a new government, but Maliki's bloc has already announced an alliance with the Shia Iraqi National Alliance, which polled third, to form the largest grouping in parliament.

The Shia-dominated alliance could push Allawi to the sidelines and anger Sunnis who supported Iraqiya, raising concerns about a potential revival of sectarian conflict as US troops prepare to end combat operations in Iraq by 1 September.

The recount of 2.5m votes in Baghdad left intact Allawi's two-seat lead. "There is a change, but not a significant change, for the [candidates] inside the blocs. ... The number of the seats stays as is," said Saad al-Rawi, one of nine commissioners on the Independent High Electoral Commission.

Maliki had demanded the recount of votes cast in the capital, alleging fraud. Election officials said when they finished the recount on Friday that they had found no signs of fraud, manipulation or big mistakes. Baghdad was the biggest prize in the election with more than 20% of the seats in the 325-seat parliament.

The length of time it has taken to count ballots and move on to certification of the final results could make Iraq vulnerable. After the last parliamentary election in 2005, violence erupted when politicians took more than five months to negotiate a new government.

Attacks by suspected Sunni Islamist insurgents have killed scores of people in the 10 weeks since the vote, including at least 125 in a wave of bombings and shootings across the country six days ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/iraq-election-recount

Edited May 16, 2010 by super

[Dianne]

About freaking time!

[super]

Sorry carlablum, didn't mean to repost your post, I got excited and missed it. Please except my apology!

[carlablum]

<br />Sorry carlablum, didn't mean to repost your post, I got excited and missed it. Please except my apology!  <img src='http://dinarvets.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Hey!!

It's all good, It's worth a re-post!!!!

Blessings

[ToddS]

Here is a link to an ABC News article on this:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wirestory?id=10658841&page=1

On the second page of the ABC News article linked to above there is an interesting paragraph, quoted below.

Khalid al-Assadi, a spokesman for al-Maliki's State of Law coalition said the bloc was evaluating the situation and seeking a "proper decision" that could include appealing Sunday's announcement on the Baghdad recount.

"All options are open for us, including appealing again," al-Assadi said.

So I guess it is not over until it is over, good grief will they ever announce a winner.

[super]

Here is a link to an ABC News article on this:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wirestory?id=10658841&page=1

On the second page of the ABC News article linked to above there is an interesting paragraph, quoted below.

So I guess it is not over until it is over, good grief will they ever announce a winner.

Your right ToddS, but if Maliki doesn't start to cooperate he may receive a LEAD telegram or he might run into an IED or two by accident. Of course I wish him good health and long life, understand, just not as the PM of Iraq! Edited May 16, 2010 by super

[powerpager]

VIVA ALLAWI !!!