Al‑Sudani’s Reconstruction and Change coalition topped Iraq’s parliamentary vote with 1.3 million ballots and a 56% turnout, about 370,000 votes ahead of the runner‑up. Low participation in some areas followed a boycott call from Muqtada al‑Sadr, and the vote produced surprises such as the KDP leading in Nineveh while Diyala returned no Kurdish winners for the first time since 2005. With no party holding a majority in the 329‑seat legislature, protracted coalition negotiations are expected. The new government will face pressure to create jobs, improve services, combat corruption and balance ties with Iran and the US.
Al‑Sudani’s Coalition Tops Iraq Vote as Lengthy Coalition Talks Begin
Al‑Sudani’s Reconstruction and Change coalition topped Iraq’s parliamentary vote with 1.3 million ballots and a 56% turnout, about 370,000 votes ahead of the runner‑up. Low participation in some areas followed a boycott call from Muqtada al‑Sadr, and the vote produced surprises such as the KDP leading in Nineveh while Diyala returned no Kurdish winners for the first time since 2005. With no party holding a majority in the 329‑seat legislature, protracted coalition negotiations are expected. The new government will face pressure to create jobs, improve services, combat corruption and balance ties with Iran and the US.
01:00 AM, 11/13/2025Politics
Al‑Sudani’s Coalition Declared Top Vote‑Getter in Parliamentary Election
The Independent High Electoral Commission announced that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani's Reconstruction and Change coalition received 1.3 million votes in Tuesday's parliamentary election — roughly 370,000 more than the nearest rival. Electoral authorities released the provisional results on Wednesday, with an overall turnout of 56%.
After the initial tally, al‑Sudani welcomed the turnout as “clear evidence of another success” and a sign of a “restoration of confidence in the political system.” Yet many voters remain skeptical, viewing the ballot as dominated by entrenched parties that will continue to divide Iraq’s oil revenue and political spoils.
Regional patterns and notable surprises
Participation fell in parts of Baghdad and Najaf after populist Shia cleric Muqtada al‑Sadr urged his supporters to boycott what he called a “flawed election.” As expected, Shia candidates prevailed across Shia‑majority provinces, Sunni candidates led in Sunni‑majority areas, and Kurdish candidates won in Kurdish regions.
There were, however, noteworthy surprises: in Nineveh — a predominantly Sunni Arab province — the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won the most seats. Conversely, Diyala province, which includes a sizable Kurdish minority, returned no Kurdish winners for the first time since 2005.
What comes next
No party has a majority in Iraq’s 329‑member parliament, meaning weeks or months of negotiations are likely as parties seek to form a governing coalition. The process is often protracted and fraught: in 2021 Muqtada al‑Sadr won the largest bloc but later withdrew his MPs amid disputes with other Shia parties.
“None of the political factions or movements over the past 20 years have been able to gain a total majority … that allows one bloc to choose a prime minister, so at the end, this is going to lead to rounds of negotiations and bargaining among political factions,” said Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem from Baghdad.
This election was the sixth since the 2003 US‑led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein — an upheaval that triggered sectarian conflict, the rise of ISIL (ISIS), and long‑term strain on infrastructure and public services.
The incoming prime minister will face urgent demands to deliver jobs, strengthen education and health systems, tackle entrenched corruption, and stabilize public services. They will also need to manage Iraq’s delicate foreign relationships, particularly with Iran and the United States, amid shifting regional dynamics.