Independent Winners of Iraq Elections Complain Vote Appeals are Handing their Seats to Losers

Arab World

November 22nd, 7:08am

Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat

The final results of the elections are expected in two days. (Getty Images)

Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission acknowledged that the appeals filed against some voting stations and the ensuing recount of ballots has had a major impact on the outcome of the parliamentary elections results. It said it will announce the final results of the polls in the coming two days. Member of the commission's media office, Jamil Mohsen, said the appeals have had a "strong impact" on the final results. He explained that some of the voting stations that the relevant judicial authority had to eliminate from the final count has led to a change in the electoral results. He clarified that the federal court approves the name of the winners, while the judicial authority confirms the appeals. The judicial authority is still studying several appeals that had been filed by losing powers. Meanwhile, independent figures, who had won seats in parliament without support from any political powers, have expressed concern that their positions would be usurped by the losers so that they can be appeased. Pro-Iran groups had emerged as the major losers in the October vote. Their supporters had held protests, which at times turned violent, to protest the results of the elections. Winning independent MP Hussein Arab told Asharq Al-Awsat that the appeals were in fact an "act of assassination" of the voice of independents. Independent seats have been flagrantly stolen and handed to the losing forces, he added. "We are awaiting the commission's final decision," he said, warning that if violations continue, then the independents may be forced to withdraw from the entire political process. "Everyone knows that we won our seats fairly," he stressed, rejecting pressure that the independents relinquish their position. He urged all neutral parties "to stand by us because this wrong start could set a dangerous precedent in political life, especially since we are the first independent bloc to be formed in parliament," he continued. Three out of seven appeals against independent seats have been approved, effectively handing over the posts to losing figures. Political sources in the Salaheddine province revealed that the losing Fatah alliance had won a second seat in the area. The alliance, headed by Hadi al-Ameri, was one the biggest losers in the polls, in which it won 17 seats. The figure has risen to 20 thanks to appeals.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3317761/independent-winners-iraq-elections-complain-vote-appeals-are-handing-their