Ballot boxes closed on Tuesday evening across Iraq after voters cast their ballots in parliamentary elections seen as a key test of stability and governance in the war-scarred nation.
The polls closed at 1500 GMT without extension, the country’s Independent High Electoral Commission said.
Preliminary results are expected within 24 hours, to be followed by official confirmation after appeals are reviewed.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani praised the vote, saying his government had “successfully organised” the polls — a process he called “a remarkable step forward toward greater stability and progress.”
Writing on X, al-Sudani said the elections reflect Iraq’s democratic maturity and the people’s “determination to continue building the state and consolidating its institutions.” He added that the vote fulfilled one of the government’s key commitments under its executive program.
Vote for the 329-member parliament
More than 20 million Iraqis were eligible to vote in the election, which saw 7,743 candidates — including 2,247 women — compete for seats in the 329-member parliament.
The current parliamentary term began on January 9, 2022, and runs for four years. Under Iraqi law, elections must be held at least 45 days before the end of the legislature’s term.
Shia political parties continue to dominate Iraq’s parliament, where power is traditionally divided along sectarian lines — with the presidency held by a Kurd, the premiership by a Shia, and the speakership by a Sunni.
