Iraq waits for results after key election

Iraq was counting the votes today in national elections whose run-up cost scores their lives in insurgent attacks.

Iraqi coalitions and political parties were jockeying for position as the complicated tallying and negotiations took place. Final results are not expected until Thursday.

Iraqis defied another wave of attacks that killed 36 people to vote yesterday in the election that will determine whether they can overcome deep sectarian divides that almost tore the nation apart.

Faraj al-Haidari, head of the Independent High Electoral Commission, estimated a turnout of around 60 %, down from the previous December 2005 parliamentary election turnout of 76%.

No one coalition is expected to win an outright majority in the 325-seat parliament, so the coalition that gets the largest number of votes will have to cobble together a government with other partners – a process that could take months.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition said it had done well, especially in Baghdad and the south, and that the group was open to talks with anyone.

However the faction may be hard-pressed to find negotiating partners after having alienated most of the other groups in the pre-election period.

Many Sunnis appeared to have thrown their weight behind former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s Iraqiya alliance, in a calculated political decision to support a Shiite who they thought best able to represent their needs.

Mr Allawi is fierce critic of Mr al-Maliki who has said the government needs to do more to bring about reconciliation between the country’s warring sects. His coalition included a number of high-profile Sunni candidates as well.

Another key player in the election, Iranian-backed Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, also known as SIIC, that is part of a broad religious Shiite coalition known as Iraqi National Alliance, appeared to have fallen behind although it could still be a kingmaker.

Across Iraq, people were recovering from the elections, taking down campaign posters and burying those who died in the violence. Iraqi security forces lifted an all-night curfew in place to deter attacks and ease movement of ballot boxes to counting stations.