2023-12-18 19:02:14
Al-Maliki “leads” Baghdad and Al-Halbousi “sweeps” Anbar in Iraq’s local elections
Asharq Al-Awsat correspondents in Iraq reported that the local elections held today (Monday) witnessed relatively low participation in the central and southern regions of the country, and although political forces are concerned regarding modest representation in the new provincial councils, political sources explained that the sacked Speaker of Parliament, Muhammad Al-Halbousi, And former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki achieved “advanced results” in Anbar and Baghdad.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis cast their votes in 15 governorates, in the first local elections held in the country since 2013, under the boycott of the Sadrist movement.
The Election Commission expected participation rates to increase following mid-followingnoon, but the numbers recorded following that did not reflect that much, and with the closing of the polls it appears that the rates did not exceed 35 percent in general, according to estimates by party agents.
An employee at the Central Counting and Sorting Center told Asharq Al-Awsat that the participation rate in the southern governorates is low. In the city of Najaf, for example, the participation rate did not exceed 20 percent.
The employee pointed out that “a large and vital city in Baghdad, such as Al-Mansour, did not vote in more than two thousand voters out of 17 thousand voters entitled to vote.”
This is not the first election in Iraq to witness a low vote, but observers believed that the boycott of the Sadrist movement would be a decisive factor in achieving some breakthrough at the level of representation.
Voters raise a “boycott” sign in front of a polling station in Baghdad on Monday (AFP)
County and hesitant cities
As of midday, the Election Commission reported participation rates of regarding 17 percent, especially in most Shiite areas in Baghdad, and the central and southern cities.
Correspondents reported that polling stations in densely populated areas of the Sadrist movement “were almost empty throughout the day,” while voters took to the streets holding banners reading “Boycotters.”
In addition to the Sadrists, there appears to be a large segment of frustrated Iraqis who did not go to the polling stations to participate in choosing their local representatives.
According to Commission sources, Baghdad, Diyala, Babil, Karbala, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah, Muthanna, and Anbar recorded a weak voter turnout rate.
The director of an electoral center in eastern Baghdad informed Asharq Al-Awsat’s correspondent of a decline in turnout rates, especially in Sadr City, but he explained that “the voting process went quietly and without significant problems, especially in the popular areas of eastern Baghdad, which had previously witnessed major violations.”
Regarding the possibility of widespread fraud occurring during the elections, the official stressed that “this possibility is almost impossible with the presence of effective verification devices and a fingerprint matching system.”
Correspondents said, until the last hour of polling day, that the Rusafa areas had the least participation in the capital, Baghdad, compared to the western Karkh region, which witnessed electoral activity, even as a large number of voters failed to receive their ballots there.
Party agents told Asharq Al-Awsat that the polling centers in the Green Zone, which includes residential neighborhoods as well as government and security headquarters, did not witness a strong presence of voters, except for the ability of the parties and those close to them.
Eyewitnesses told Asharq Al-Awsat that dozens of mosques and places of worship in the eastern neighborhoods of Baghdad made repeated calls on Monday followingnoon, via loudspeakers, urging them to participate in the elections.
But the matter is very different in Anbar Governorate (west), which witnessed more intense participation than the rest of the regions, although Sunni party agents told Asharq Al-Awsat that “it was not very high, unless compared to other cities in Baghdad and the rest of the governorates.”
After the end of the vote, former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said, “The local elections were held with great integrity, and that the Iraqis fulfilled their promise to their candidates in the local councils.”
Al-Maliki added, in a post on the “X” platform, that “what was achieved was due to the insistence of the voters, their strength of will, and the exceptional efforts of the Election Commission, and this would not have been completed without the role of our security forces in all their forms, and the high appreciation of the political blocs for their insistence, participation, and healthy political competition.”
The Prime Minister checks his digital identity before voting at a polling station in Baghdad (AFP)
Preliminary results
Asharq Al-Awsat obtained preliminary results, which they matched between sources in the Commission, party agents, and neutral observers, and showed a number of indicators that may change as the counting operations continue, which will end on Tuesday followingnoon.
During the writing of this report, counting and sorting operations were continuing at the main center within the Commission, which means that the circulating data may change relatively, but they remain general indicators of the overall electoral process:
BaghdadAl-Maliki is competing fiercely for first place in Baghdad, matched by a similar rise of the “Taqaddum” party, led by the sacked Speaker of Parliament, Muhammad al-Halbousi.
MaysanIt seems that the candidates of Asaib Ahl al-Haq achieved preliminary results that qualify them to take over the position of governor in place of the withdrawing Sadrist movement.
AnbarThe “Taqaddum” party won the majority of votes throughout the Western Governorate.
NinevehFierce competition between Sunni forces, but Al-Halbousi may be slightly ahead of the rest of the competitors.
KirkukAs for the Arab forces, the “Sovereignty” coalition led by Khamis Al-Khanjar outperformed Al-Halbousi, and tens of thousands of Turkmen voters were unable to vote because the polling machines did not recognize their fingerprints.
BasraThe current governor, Asaad Al-Eidani, achieved advanced results that may qualify him to maintain his position, while Asaib Ahl al-Haq did not achieve a major breakthrough there.
EuphratesInitial indications that the Al-Basas coalition, led by Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, has achieved advanced results.
DiwaniyahPreliminary numbers indicate that civil forces achieved important results and may compete for a number of seats.
Researcher Al-Duraid Nasser said, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, that the decline in voting rates in local councils is not only due to the boycott of Al-Sadr, but rather to a negative opposition mood prevailing in the Iraqi street, but he pointed out that “the Sadrists will try to exploit this boycott to their advantage politically.” ».
Al-Nasser does not believe that the election results will affect the current balance of power, because the coordinating framework will consolidate its influence in a number of governorates, and this will accelerate the popular upheaval that will quickly backfire once morest these forces, according to his expression.
A security man conducts a search for a voter before he enters the polling station in Baghdad on Monday (AFP)
Results following 24 hours
Polling centers in the cities of Najaf, Baghdad, and Kut were subjected to sporadic attacks, which in some cases resulted in gunshots being fired.
Five electoral centers in Najaf were attacked with weapons, without any material or human damage recorded, while an electoral center in Kut was attacked with a hand grenade following the polls closed, and unidentified persons opened fire on an electoral center east of Baghdad.
Local media quoted officials in the commission as saying that these attacks did not affect voting or voters casting their ballots in the provincial council elections.
In addition, the Election Commission set a date for the announcement of the preliminary results of the provincial council elections at 5 pm on Tuesday, awaiting their final announcement at a later time following completing the count and matching the numbers of party agents.
The Commission said, in a press statement on Monday evening, that “as of eight o’clock Baghdad time, more than 21,000 stations had sent their results to the results center out of 35,000 stations, and the transmission is still continuing.”
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