ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi election commission announced the official results of the nationwide April 30 legislative polls on Monday, showing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition as the top winner.
State of Law swept 92 of the 328 parliamentary seats.
Just hours after the official results were announced, Maliki said at a press conference that he was open to negotiations with any party over forming the next government. "I am ready to extend my hand to any party and don't have issues with anybody," Maliki told journalists in Baghdad.
The Shiite prime minister garnered 721,000 votes himself in Baghdad, where his list won 30 of the 69 seats. His main rivals, the Ahrar trend of Muqtada al-Sadr received 11 seats and the Wataniyya coalition of former prime minister Ayad Allawi took only 10.
Some of Maliki’s opponents were quick to compare him to “Arab dictators” in the region, for his quick decision to try and stay in office for a third term.
"The number of votes Nouri Maliki has received reminds us of the Arab leaders who used to win 99.9 percent of votes in their elections,” said Athil Nujaifi, the governor of Nineveh and a leader of the Sunni Mutahidun list.
Like Kurds, and other rivals that include the Sadrists, the governor of Nineveh expressed his repudiation of a third term for Maliki.
“I am not against the State of Law, but against the continuation of Maliki in power," Nujaifi said. "His continuation in power is a big threat to Iraq."
At the news conference, Maliki sent some signals to the Kurds he has angered with his policies for more than a year. He said he would side with Kurdish demands, as long as they were in accordance with the constitution.
"If Kurdish conditions and demands are legitimate and in accordance with the constitution, they are welcome for talks to form the government," said Maliki.
"In the Iraqi constitution, confederation and self-determination have not been talked about," Maliki added, referring to the recent Kurdish threats to resort to a referendum to decide on their future, should Maliki be re-nominated for prime minister.
While they run on separate lists, in total the Kurdish parties have won 62 seats in the next Iraqi parliament, five more than the previous election in 2010.
According to the election commission results, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 25 seats, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) got 21, the Change Movement (Gorran) gained nine, the Islamic Union (Yekgirtu) won four and Islamic League (Komal) won three.
In a recent meeting with Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish parties vowed to deal with Baghdad with one voice on Kurdish issues.
In a statement released by the PUK's top leader Kosrat Rasul after the elections results were announced, he reaffirmed the unity among the Kurds against Baghdad. "We believe in one voice and one stance against the central government," said the statement.
Followed by State of Law in top place, the Ahrar trend won 34 seats, Mowatin won 31, Mutahidun came out with 28 and the Arabiyya Alliance of deputy prime minister Saleh al-Mutlaq won 10 seats.
Months of long negotiations are likely to follow before a government is announced. Maliki’s insistence on a third term, against the strong wishes of the Kurds, Sunnis and even some major Shiite parties, is likely to further complicate and delay the process.
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