BAGHDAD / ISTANBUL

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s coalition has emerged as a winner in Iraq’s parliamentary elections, placing him in a position to start negotiations to form a new government.

Preliminary results showed that Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition won 1,317 million votes in the Nov. 11 polls, followed by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, with around 1.099 million.

The Sunni Progress Party, headed by former Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, ranked third with more than 900,000 votes, while the State of Law Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, came fourth with more than 700,000.

The electoral commission said voter turnout reached 56% in the polls.

Commission spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai told the state news agency INA that final results are expected next week, without specifying a date.

2 parties pass 1 million votes

Early figures showed that only two political forces, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, have surpassed the one-million-vote mark nationwide. Vote totals, however, do not directly correspond to the number of seats won.

Initial seat projections for the 329-member parliament give:

-45 seats for Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition

-30 seats for Maliki’s State of Law Coalition

-27 seats for Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party

-27 seats for Halbousi’s Progress Party

-26 seats for Shia leader Qais al-Khazali’s Sadiqoun bloc

-19 seats for Shia politician Hadi al-Ameri’s Badr Organization

-18 seats for the State Forces Alliance, led by Shia leader Ammar al-Hakim

These numbers remain provisional and subject to change.

A surprise in Mosul

In Mosul’s largely Arab district, the Kurdistan Democratic Party registered an unexpected win with the highest vote count, followed by the Progress Party in second place and Sudani’s coalition in third.

- Turkmen candidates secure 4 seats

Turkmen candidates won two seats in Kirkuk on the Iraqi Turkmen Front list. A candidate from another Turkmen alliance won in Mosul, and another in Baghdad, a first in Iraqi politics.

Highest and lowest turnout

Official data show Dohuk in northern Iraq recorded the country’s highest voter turnout at 77.47 percent, followed by Erbil at 71.65 percent and Salahuddin at 66.98 percent.

The lowest turnout was recorded in Baghdad’s Rusafa district at 41.55 percent, and in Maysan province in southeastern Iraq at 42.15 percent.

Top vote-winners

Among individual candidates, Kirkuk Governor Rebwar Taha of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan ranked first nationwide with more than 96,000 votes.

Sudani came second with over 92,000, followed by Halbousi with roughly 72,000.

Maliki ranked fourth with more than 68,000, while Jamaal Kochar of the Kurdistan Islamic Union trailed fifth with over 58,000.

49 candidates received one vote

One unusual outcome: 49 candidates across the country received exactly one vote each.

Minority quota seats

Winners of minority quota seats include Christians Sami Oushana, Aseer Ibrahim, Keldo Ramzi, Imad Yuhanna, and Heba Jirjis; Yazidi candidate Khaled Sido; Feyli candidate Haider Ali; Shabak representative Waad Kaddo; and Mandaean representative Bassam Zuhairi.

What comes next?

Based on the preliminary results, Sudani, whose coalition holds the largest number of seats, is expected to pursue coalition talks to form a government. After the results were released, he said he is open to dialogue and negotiations with all parties.

He could form a government through alliances with Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish parties. However, Shia factions aligned with Iran oppose another Sudani term, analysts say. Those parties may attempt to form a government with Sunni and Kurdish partners, potentially placing Sudani in the opposition.

Under the post-2003 US invasion political system, the president calls parliament to convene within 15 days of the certification of election results. The session is chaired by the oldest member and includes the election of a parliament speaker and two deputies.

Following that, the process for selecting Iraq’s president begins. The president must be elected within 30 days of the first session.

Within 15 days of taking office, the president tasks the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a cabinet, which must be submitted to parliament within 30 days. If the nominee fails, the president appoints another candidate.