Counting in Iraq goes on despite claims of fraud

The Electoral Commission of Iraq has yet to announce final results.

Counting in Iraq is proceeding amidst claims of fraud and irregularities.

Participation in Saturday’s parliamentary elections has been confirmed at around 45 percent, but definitive figures have yet to be given.

Prime Minister Haydar Ebadi’s coalition, which had presented candidates throughout Iraq, is on the lead, while clergy Moqtada al-Sadr would follow with his unusual but not unpredictable alliance with the communist party of Iraq.

In South Kurdistan, on the other hand, parties continue to accuse each other of fraud. The KDP officials are accusing the PUK, which is denying any irregularity.

Both parties, anyway, have to deal with a substantial erosion of their vote in this election.

Gorran, Kurdistan Islamic Union Party (Yekgırtu), Democracy and Justice Coalition and  Kurdistan Islamic Community (Komela) officials gathered in Sulemaniye to confirm they have no intention to accept the election results. Four political parties actually asked for the elections to be done again.

"We reject the whole election process and do not accept it. We ask for the elections to be repeated in the Kurdistan Region, Kirkuk and other controversial regions".

Some political parties, including the New Generation movement, also objected to the results in Halabja. Political parties claim that PUK has manipulated results in both Suleymaniye and Halabja.

The PUK on its part said the results in Duhok and Hewler were manipulated.

The Kurdistan Communist Party also asked for votes to be recounted by hand. There have been claims that the electronic counting system had been hacked. 

Media closed to political parties inform about the number of deputies won in some cities, but the Election Commission has not issued an official statement about the allocation of seats.

The New Generation List said in a statement that the unofficial election results are in fact lacking in reality, and added that it will not make any declaration until the official results are actually published.

The PUK said in a statement to be “generally pleased with the results”. Talking to the press, PUK executives said: “The election is now over. As Kurdish political parties, we must act in unity in order to obtain legal and democratic rights”.