SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The White House on Tuesday congratulated the Iraqi government on its election, which it said was largely conducted peacefully and noted that it was awaiting certification of the results.
“We congratulate the Iraqi Government on having fulfilled its promise to hold earlier elections,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, according to Reuters.
“Once the final results are certified, we hope the new council of representative members will form a government that reflects the will of the Iraqi people,” she added.
Voter turnout was 41%, a record low in the post-Saddam Hussein era signaling widespread distrust of the country’s leaders and the vote for a new parliament. That’s down from 44% in the 2018 elections, which was an all-time low.
Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s party was the biggest winner in the election, increasing the number of seats he holds in parliament.
Former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki looked set to have the next largest win among Shia parties, according to the initial results.
Sunday’s election was held several months early, in response to mass protests in 2019 that toppled a government and showed widespread anger against political leaders whom many Iraqis say have enriched themselves at the expense of the country.
Partial and initial results showed on Monday that candidates representing Shia militias backed by Iran had emerged as the biggest loser in the general election.
The results showed al-Fateh alliance, comprised of parties and affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), winning 14 seats, down from 48 they got in 2018.
Iraq’s Shia groups have dominated governments and government formation since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam and catapulted the Shia majority and the Kurds to power.
