Iraq election commission says objections will not affect preliminary results

ISTANBUL

Iraq’s electoral commission said Saturday that objections to the results of the country’s parliamentary elections will not affect the preliminary results.

“All objections submitted so far are classified as complaints only,” Hassan Salman, the commission’s legal adviser, told the state news agency INA. “It is not possible to file an appeal against preliminary results.”

He said complaints are classified into three categories: “yellow,” which are minor and dismissed procedurally; “green,” which require investigation and must be resolved within 72 hours; and “red,” which could potentially impact results. He added that the commission “has not recorded any red complaints so far.”

Salman said settling complaints “may be faster than in previous elections” and could be concluded next week.

Regarding the polling stations whose results have not yet been transmitted, he attributed the delay to limited technical issues, saying the number of affected stations is small and does not influence the announced results.

The legal adviser noted that once the Board of Commissioners, the commission’s top administrative and regulatory body, certifies the final results, the door will open for appeals for three days, and the board will review them in seven days.

Preliminary results of the Nov. 11 polls placed the Reconstruction and Development Coalition of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in first place.

The commission said Thursday it expects to announce the final results next week, without specifying a date.

The current four-year term of the 329-seat Council of Representatives began on Jan. 9, 2022. Under Iraqi law, parliamentary elections must be held at least 45 days before the end of the legislature’s term.