Guardian - List of Leading Parties in Iraq Election

[paineinthearse]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4797708,00.html

List of Leading Parties in Iraq Election

Sunday February 13, 2005 8:46 PM

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Here is a list of the political alliances receiving the most votes in Iraq's Jan. 30 national elections and the number of seats they will receive in the 275-member National Assembly, provided the results released Sunday are certified.

The United Iraqi Alliance (Shiite alliance backed by Shiite Muslim clergy): 4,075,295 - about 48 percent - for 140 seats.

The Kurdistan Alliance (coalition of two main Kurdish factions): 2,175,551 - about 26 percent - for 75 seats.

The Iraqi List (headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi): 1,168,943 - about 14 percent - for 40 seats.

Iraqis (headed by interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer): 150,680 for five seats.

The Turkomen Iraqi Front (represents the countries ethnic Turks): 93,480 for three seats.

National Independent Elites and Cadres Party: 69,938 for three seats.

The Communist Party: 69,920 for two seats.

The Islamic Kurdish Society: 60,592 for two seats.

The Islamic Labor Movement in Iraq: 43,205 for two seats.

The National Democratic Alliance: 36,795 for one seat.

National Rafidain List (Assyrian Christians): 36,255 for one seat.

The Reconciliation and Liberation Entity: 30,796 for one seat.

Iraqi Islamic Party (main Sunni group headed by Mohsen Abdel-Hamid): 21,342

Assembly of Independent Democrats (headed by Sunni elder statesman Adnan Pachachi): 12,728

National Democratic Party (headed by Naseer Kamel al-Chaderchi, Sunni lawyer and member of the former Iraqi Governing Council): 1,603

Total votes: 8,550,571

Invalid votes: 94,305

^---

Source: Iraq's election commission.

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[paineinthearse]

3. AFP - Shiites win resounding victory in Iraq's landmark election

Shiites win resounding victory in Iraq's landmark election

31 minutes ago Top Stories - AFP

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq (news - web sites)'s long-oppressed Shiite majority scored a resounding victory in the first vote since Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s downfall, setting the stage for the first Shiite government in an Arab state in 1,000 years. Although it mustered less than half of the votes, the counting method laid out by the country's electoral law means the main Shiite list backed by powerful spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is on track for an absolute majority in parliament.

The Kurdish alliance was poised to become the country's second political force, while the list of incumbent Prime Minister Iyad Allawi came in a distant third. Shiite leaders swiftly offered a hand to the ousted Sunni elite in Iraq, where a continuing deadly insurgency has claimed thousands of lives since Saddam was ousted by US invading troops in April 2003. "Iraq is bleeding and we need everybody at this juncture to work for solidarity and unity," said Finance Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, a leading figure in the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance.

The alliance won 48.1 percent of the vote and based on the complex counting system should have 140 out of the National Assembly's 275 seats, which would give it the majority to form a government and legitimacy to demand top jobs. But political entities could yet challenge the results within the next three days, election officials said, making no results definitive until then. The second powerful ticket, that grouping the two main Kurdish parties, took 25.7 percent of the vote and should have 75 seats, making Kurds well-placed to become political kingmakers after decades of struggle against Sunni regimes.

But the list put together by Allawi -- interim prime minister since the US occupiers handed power to Iraqis in June last year -- managed only a distant third with 13.8 percent, on track to secure 40 seats.
"Today marks the birth of a new Iraq and a free people," election commission official Farid Ayar told reporters.

more.....

[Spazito]

4. Wow, this is interesting, thanks!

As I read it: Sistani's group has 140 seats, the Kurds 75 for a total of 215 of the 245 seats available.

It seems to me, given that Allawi's group, even with all the other groups were they to allign with him, would have no influence at all if Sistani were to align with the Kurds.

It is interesting the media is assuming Sistani will align with Allawi and not with the Kurds, I would not be so sure.

[paineinthearse]

5. I read it similarly, but a bit different

There are 275 seats.

The United Iraqi Alliance has 140 seats, which is an absolute majority. They need not form a coalition with any other group.

If they do, it will be with some minor party/parties for just a handful of seats.

[Vladimir]

6. They do need a coalition

for the constitution, which will need 2/3 to pass...

[Spazito]

7. It will be interesting, indeed, to see what alliances are...

formed to pass whatever Constitution they finally put forward for a vote. A 2/3rd majority would mean 182 votes for which Sistani and the Kurds easily have whereas a coalition of Sistani and Allawi's party alone would be be two votes short, assuming all members vote in a block which one cannot always count on.

Sistani already forced the bush admin to hold an election on his timetable, not theirs, and in a manner that was Sistani's preference not the US's so I have no doubt more concessions will be given by the US to Sistani and, in the end, Iraq will be a theocracy.

[Igel]

8. I don't know why the Iraqi Islamic Party is called the

"main Sunni group" when "Iraqis" is headed by a Sunni Arab.

In any event it's good that al-Yawer's group got 5 seats; the Sunni Arabs can't say they're entirely locked out. Also good to see the Turkomen and Assyrians are in the mix, however trivially.

Pachachi's got to be pissed.

[Toucano]

9. It doesn't list the seats the GOP got!

I'm suprised they didn't show up.

Oh, wait. There are bullets flying. Republicans don't like to be in places like that. They'll come out after the country clubs are opened up.

[justiceischeap]

10. Sure they did, they got 2 seats.

The communist party... ;)

[Toucano]

11. LOL! n/t

[paineinthearse]

13. Careful what you predict....

....see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3106276

[Toucano]

16. OMG!

Well it doesn't take a Miss Cleo to see that coming, I guess.

Thanks for the link.

[expatriot]

12. So even though Sistani got 48% of vote, he gets over half of the seats.

Interesting.

[paineinthearse]

15. Nice avatar (not) nt

[Toucano]

17. I agree.

I almost said something earlier, but then I thought better of it.

It just seems like something we wouldn't want to look at and associate with. Maybe expat has other ideas.

[aneerkoinos]

19. Only natural

In proportionan representation there is allways a certain treshold to get at least on seat, and votes for the lists that stay below that treshold are "wasted". So I would guess that the when compared to votes given to those lists that got a representative elected and excluding the "wasted" votes, the list endorsed by Sistani got over 50%.

[paineinthearse]

14. NY Times coverage

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1235680

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Martin Rowson: Those election results in full ...