Shafaq News
Iraq’s
Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Wednesday released the final
results of the 2025 parliamentary elections, following a delay that lasted
nearly two hours.
The results
capped three days of voting that began with special ballots on November 9 and
the general vote on November 11 across 8,703 centers and 39,285 stations. IHEC
reported a 56.11% national turnout among 20 million eligible voters, slightly
higher than in 2021 but uneven nationwide.
Al-Sudani’s
Southern Stronghold
Al-Sudani’s
Al-Ima’ar Wal Tanmiya (Reconstruction and Development) bloc led in eight
provinces: Maysan, Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Najaf, Qadisiyah, Babil, Karbala, and
Baghdad, cementing its dominance across Shia Iraq. In the capital, it secured
411,026 votes, nearly 20% of the turnout, and well ahead of Taqaddum of former
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Al-Halbousi. Similar margins were recorded in
Qadisiyah and Muthanna, where the bloc outpaced the State of Law of Nouri
al-Maliki and Sadiqoon of Qais al-Khazali.
Two
exceptions stood out: Basra, where the Tasmim Alliance topped with 174,097
votes, and Wasit, where the Wasit al-Ajmal Alliance led with 105,934 votes.
Al-Sudani’s
coalition now commands the largest Shia bloc (almost 46 seats) but remains
regionally confined, with limited reach in mixed or Sunni-majority provinces.
Taqaddum’s
Western Command
In the Sunni
provinces, Taqaddum, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi,
consolidated its dominance. It won al-Anbar with 212,489 votes and Saladin with
82,729, while placing second in Baghdad, Nineveh, Kirkuk, and Diyala.
Turnout in
its core areas exceeded 66%, the highest in Arab Iraq – a renewal in Sunni
participation after years of marginalization. The results cement Taqaddum’s
role as the principal Sunni bloc and a decisive partner in government
formation.
The alliance
is expected to secure about 28 seats in the parliament.
Kurdish
North: Stability and High Turnout
The KDP and
PUK retained their strongholds, again dividing the north along established
lines. The KDP dominated Duhok (413,698 votes, 77.47% turnout) and Erbil
(369,118, 71.65%) while gaining ground in parts of Nineveh. The PUK led in
al-Sulaymaniyah (240,899, 60.15%) and Kirkuk (178,629, 65.02%), reinforcing its
control over the northeast.
Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Elections: Voter turnout formula sparks controversy
Local and
Mixed Provinces
Several
provinces diverged from national patterns:
– Diyala:
Badr Organization led by Hadi Al-Ameri narrowly beat Taqaddum with 105,225
votes.
– Nineveh: A
three-way contest split votes among KDP, Taqaddum, and Reconstruction and
Development.
– Kirkuk:
The PUK outpolled Taqaddum and the Turkmen Front in one of Iraq’s most
contested provinces.
Turnout
Divide
IHEC data
showed stark regional contrasts: southern provinces recorded the lowest
participation—Maysan (42.15%), Najaf (43.62%), Wasit (47.52%), Karbala
(47.59%)—while Duhok led with 77.47%. The capital, Baghdad, with 2.1 million
voters, saw just 48.76%.
The divide
showed differing levels of public trust: steady in Kurdistan, renewed in Sunni
regions, and fading in much of the Shia south.
Government
Formation
Under the
constitution, IHEC will submit results to the Federal Supreme Court for
certification, after which parliament must elect a president and designate the
largest bloc to form a cabinet within 30 days.
Iraq’s
established power-sharing formula—a Shia prime minister, Sunni parliament
speaker, and Kurdish president—is expected to remain, though the distribution
of roles and policy concessions will define the coalition’s balance.
The 2025
elections redrew no political boundaries. Al-Sudani holds the Shia south and
Baghdad, Taqaddum dominates the Sunni west, and the KDP and PUK control
Kurdistan. Despite a few local upsets, the outcome is one of continuity rather
than transformation.
Read more: Iraq’s post-election roadmap: From ballot to government formation
Written and
edited by Shafaq News staff.
