Iraq begins Baghdad vote recount
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
BAGHDAD, May 3 (AP): Iraqi officials began Monday a controversial recount of the 2.5 million ballots cast in Baghdad, a move requested by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who narrowly lost a parliamentary election held nearly two months ago.
Political factions have since the March 7 vote wrestled over the results which showed a bloc led by al-Maliki coming two seats short of a rival coalition led by a secular Shiite heavily backed by Sunni Arabs.
Since no one won an outright majority in the 325-seat legislature, all parties have been involved in intense talks to cobble together a majority to form the next government.
The manual count, which election officials say could take up to two weeks, means further delay to an already lengthy election process that has raised fears of an increase in violence just as US troops prepare to go home. But even as the recount began, al-Maliki's State of Law coalition submitted another complaint that, if granted, could further delay the process.
The latest move led to a heated exchange between election commission chief Faraj al-Haidari and senior State of Law official Hussain al-Shahristani.
The two squared off at the close of a news conference as journalists crowded around. State television cut their live transmission of the event at that point. The coalition complained that the commission wasn't conducting the recount properly by not reopening voter records and checking voter signatures against ballots. Election officials dismissed the charge.
Political factions have since the March 7 vote wrestled over the results which showed a bloc led by al-Maliki coming two seats short of a rival coalition led by a secular Shiite heavily backed by Sunni Arabs.
Since no one won an outright majority in the 325-seat legislature, all parties have been involved in intense talks to cobble together a majority to form the next government.
The manual count, which election officials say could take up to two weeks, means further delay to an already lengthy election process that has raised fears of an increase in violence just as US troops prepare to go home. But even as the recount began, al-Maliki's State of Law coalition submitted another complaint that, if granted, could further delay the process.
The latest move led to a heated exchange between election commission chief Faraj al-Haidari and senior State of Law official Hussain al-Shahristani.
The two squared off at the close of a news conference as journalists crowded around. State television cut their live transmission of the event at that point. The coalition complained that the commission wasn't conducting the recount properly by not reopening voter records and checking voter signatures against ballots. Election officials dismissed the charge.