Iraq Elections: Sadrists Gain at expense of Pro-Iran Fatah Alliance

By John Lee.

Some key points from Sunday's parliamentary elections in Iraq:

• Preliminary results show the political party of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr winning the largest share of the vote, giving it an estimated 73 seats in the 329-member parliament, up from 54 seats in 2018;
• The Sadrist Movement promises a nationalist government, free from foreign interference;
• The pro-Iranian Fateh (Fatah) Alliance of Hadi al-Amiri were the biggest losers, falling from 48 seats to about 12;
• The Fateh Alliance is contesting the result;
• It's expected to take months for the new government to be formed.

For a useful explainer on the Iraqi electoral system, check out Dr Victoria Stewart-Jolley's paper for Chatham House.

(Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, The National, NBC, IHEC)