Iraqi prime minister’s coalition tops parliamentary elections with 46 seats

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the coalition came in first with 46 seats, followed by the Progress party led by former Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, which won 36 seats.

The State of Law coalition led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki secured 29 seats, according to the commission’s figures.

The Shia-led Coordination Framework said later that it has formally designated itself as the largest parliamentary bloc, bringing together all its constituent parties, according to NNA.

It also formed two committees: one to develop a unified national governance vision and another to interview candidates for the prime minister’s post.

The bloc said it will move forward with nominating a prime minister in accordance with constitutional procedures.

The meeting also discussed “the criteria adopted for selecting the prime minister, in addition to the nature of the required government program in a manner consistent with the political, economic and service-related challenges Iraq faces and in a way that meets citizens’ aspirations for reform, stability and development.”

Voter turnout in last week’s parliamentary elections reached 56.11%, with 7,743 candidates competing for 329 seats — the total number of members of parliament who are responsible for electing the president and granting confidence to the government.

In Iraq, no single party can form a government alone, which forces parties to form alliances -- a process that often takes months.

The Shia-led Coordination Framework was founded after the 2021 legislative elections to counter efforts by the Sadrist Movement to form a “national majority government.”

It is customary in Iraq’s power-sharing system for the prime minister to be Shia, the president Kurdish, and the parliament speaker Sunni.