Sudani's Bloc Achieves a Major Victory in Iraqi Parliamentary Elections

SadaNews - Sources close to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani reported that his electoral coalition "Development and Reconstruction" has achieved a significant victory in the legislative elections held yesterday, Tuesday.

A close aide to al-Sudani told AFP that the bloc achieved a "very big victory," while two other sources confirmed that the coalition likely secured the largest parliamentary bloc, with around 50 seats or more.

This progress bolsters al-Sudani's position, as he has emerged over the past three years as one of the most prominent political forces in Iraq, backed by the Coordination Framework coalition which includes Shiite parties and factions close to Iran.

Iraq witnessed parliamentary elections with more than 55% of registered voters participating, according to the Independent High Electoral Commission, announced on Wednesday, in a turnout described as surprising compared to previous cycles, despite the boycott by leader Moqtada al-Sadr and calls from his supporters to abstain from voting.

The sixth legislative elections since the American invasion in 2003 were held in a relatively stable atmosphere in the oil-rich country after years of wars and crises that had devastated its infrastructure and deepened the widespread corruption in its institutions.

Polling stations closed on Tuesday at 6 PM local time after 11 hours of voting, during which more than 21 million voters participated to elect 329 representatives for a four-year term.

This participation rate is the highest since the 2021 elections, which had only reached 41%, something that political analyst Hamza Haddad considered a "positive sign" indicating that "Sadr's influence is limited to his supporters," asserting that "no political leader can obstruct the democratic process in Iraq."

The preliminary results are expected to be announced within 24 hours, with anticipation that the Reconstruction and Development coalition led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani will achieve advanced results, although this does not necessarily mean he will remain in office.

The elections saw competition among more than 7,740 candidates, about a third of whom were women, while only 75 candidates ran as independents.

Ali Abdul (57 years old) from Mosul stated after casting his vote: "We voted for change... we want job opportunities and an economic revival to end unemployment and suffering."

Sadr's Boycott and its Limited Impact

In Sadr City, Baghdad, one of the prominent strongholds of Moqtada al-Sadr, his supporters adhered to the boycott position.

Hatem Kazem (28 years old), who closed his shop to spend the day with his family, said: "We are boycotting by the order of the leader, out of love and obedience."

Sadr had won 73 seats in the 2021 elections before withdrawing from parliament following sharp disputes with the "Coordination Framework" close to Iran, which triggered a political crisis and violence that lasted for months.

Delicate Political Balance and Regional Challenges

Following the elections, lengthy negotiations are expected to form the government and appoint the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, positions usually chosen through consensus among political forces.

Since taking office in 2022, Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has been credited with maintaining a relative stability in the country and avoiding its descent into regional tensions, despite ongoing American pressures to limit the influence of Iran-aligned factions.

The elections come at a time of rising regional changes following the 2023 Gaza war, the mutual attacks between Washington and Iran-aligned factions in Iraq and Syria, as well as Israeli strikes against Iran in June 2024 that targeted nuclear and military facilities.

While Tehran has lost some allies in the region, it is now seeking to maintain its influence in Iraq, which remains one of its most important regional cards.