Iraqi election panel orders Baghdad recount

A member of Iraq's election commission says votes cast in Baghdad duringthe recent parliamentary election will be recounted after a complaint from the incumbent prime minister.

Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki won 89 of 325 parliamentary seats in the March 7 election, second to Ayad Allawi, whose bloc won 91 seats. Neither has been able to cobble together a majority coalition with the support of other parties.

Al-Maliki's State of Law bloc has claimed election fraud and demanded a recount in five provinces, including Baghdad, which accounts for almost a fifth of parliamentary seats.

Cynicism persists

The decision to recount the Baghdad ballots could significantly lengthen the time it takes the new government to assume power, raising questions about the country's stability as political factions battle for supremacy.

Iraq's minority Sunni community, which saw its once dominant position under Saddam Hussein destroyed under the majority Shiite government that came into power after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, was jubilant after Allawi's Iraqiya came up with a two-seat edge over State of Law.

Allawi, who like al-Maliki is Shiite, included Sunni candidates in his election list and attracted significant support from that community. Any perception that they have been robbed of their votes could have potentially violent repercussions in a country still reeling from years of sectarian conflict.

During a news conference Monday, al-Maliki said the recount could alter the election results.

"We will all abide by the results of the recount, but I can say that it is possible for the results to be changed after the recounting," the prime minister said.

The United Nations, the Arab League and U.S. officials have all praised the election, saying it was fair and legitimate.

A spokeswoman for Iraqiya questioned the decision to hold a recount.

"We need to make sure that no one, neither the State of Law nor anyone else, will take seats they do not deserve," said Maysoun Damlouji. "As long as the procedure will be handled in a transparent way, we will have no worries or concerns."

The Independent High Electoral Commission, a three-member panel that investigates election-related complaints, ordered the recount on Monday, commission official Hamdia al-Hussaini said

Third-place finisher

The order was handed down on the same day that powerful Shia leader Ammar al-Hakim said he did not see either al-Maliki or Allawi as candidates who could succeed as prime minister because, in his view, they do not have enough support in Iraq or internationally.

Al-Hakim's Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council is part of the Iraqi National Alliance, which came in third in the election. INA's support is key for any leader to form a government and his remarks only added to the political uncertainty over who will be able to build a ruling coalition.

"We are talking about a person who should be accepted on a national level," al-Hakim said in the interview at his palatial office in southeast Baghdad.

"This is the most important point because the prime minister is not going to be a prime minister of his own party or his political movement, but for all of Iraq," he said.

"On such a basis, we find it's difficult for Mr. Maliki or even Mr. Ayad Allawi to gain the needed acceptance."

Al-Hakim was careful to say he would not reject either candidate. But his comments added to the sense that the coalition wrangling could drag on for months.

With so few votes separating the frontrunners, INA's support could throw the win to either side.

Iraqiya's spokeswoman, Maysoun Damlouji, disputed al-Hakim's claim that the secular Allawi, who won significant backing from both Shia and Sunni voters, would not have widespread support as prime minister and said the votes for Allawi reflected that.

"We got a huge number of votes, which means he is accepted," Damlouji said.

"We are the only bloc that has the diversity we have Arabs, Kurds, Turkomen, we have them all so if there is one who is widely accepted it is Mr. Allawi."