Iraqis await glimpse of new political landscape

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Aggrieved investors again blockaded the road at Motijheel and demonstrated in front of the Bangladesh Bank Tuesday, protesting various decisions of the government and fall in share prices. — FE Photo

BAGHDAD, Mar 11 (AFP): Iraqis were set to get a glimpse of the country's new political landscape Thursday when first official results from weekend elections are released.
Four days after the vote, incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his main secular rival Iyad Allawi have emerged as the main candidates for the top job with their parties having appeared to have fared best in Sunday's polls.
Several political blocs, meanwhile, called for individual tally sheets from the elections to be published to ensure nationwide vote counts were accurate, amid concerns any discrepancies could affect the protracted coalition building which is expected to ensue.
Electoral commission official Hamdiyah al-Husseini said preliminary findings would be released once 30 per cent of votes cast in the poll had been counted, which she said would be later Thursday.
"The counting is taking place normally (and) there is no problem," Husseini told AFP Wednesday.
The complete results are expected to be announced on March 18 and the final official results -- after any appeals are taken into account -- will come at the end of the month.
But Thursday's initial results will likely provide an early indication of Iraq's new political chessboard.
Several blocs, though, called on Thursday for individual polling station tally sheets to be published online.
The Iraqi National Alliance, a list led by Shiite religious parties, added in its own statement that it was concerned over "signs of intentions to change the election results".
Maliki, a Shiite who helped ease the country's deadly sectarian strife, has emerged as the front-runner to retain his post, according to estimates AFP obtained from officials across the state.
But he could face a tough battle to cling to power after the vote, which saw millions defy bomb, mortar and rocket attacks, which killed 38 people, to cast their ballots.
His State of Law Alliance was ahead in Shiite regions, while Allawi, a Shiite former premier, led in Sunni areas, according to estimates.
The commander of US forces in Iraq on Tuesday predicted it would take "a couple of months" for leaders to form a post-election government but downplayed fears of instability.
General Ray Odierno said he had been in close touch with Iraqi authorities about ensuring security after the country's second election since the 2003 US-led invasion.
President Barack Obama earlier paid tribute to the "courage and resilience" of Iraqi voters who posted a 62.4 per cent turnout despite periodic violence.
There are currently around 95,000 US troops stationed in Iraq, a figure that is set to nearly halve to 50,000 by the end of August, ahead of a complete withdrawal due by the end of 2011.