Iraq’s Shi’ite ruling alliance, comprising parties within the Shi’ite Coordination Framework (CF), has secured a significant victory in the recent provincial council elections, capturing at least 101 out of the 285 available seats, as reported by Iraqi state media.
The CF, already the largest single grouping in Iraq’s parliament, participated in the elections with three main lists and committed to governing collectively following the Dec. 18 vote, marking the first such agreement in a decade.
The electoral list, unifying various Iran-aligned military-political groups, including the Badr Organization and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, claimed the top spot with 43 seats, followed by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s list with 35 seats. Another list, led by moderate Shi’ite cleric Ammar al-Hakim and former Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, secured 23 seats. The combined victories of these three lists give the CF a total of 101 seats, with additional wins from smaller affiliated lists.
Observers, including Iraqi analyst Sajad Jiyad from The Century Foundation think tank, note that the CF’s success was influenced by an electoral boycott led by their main competitor, populist Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
In separate results, ousted Sunni parliament speaker Mohammed Halbousi, who garnered the most votes in Baghdad and Anbar province, secured 22 seats, while Sunni business magnate Khamees Khanjar earned 14 seats. The remaining seats were distributed among various local lists and smaller groups.
This election outcome is viewed as a key indicator of power dynamics in a country where Iranian-influenced groups have been steadily gaining prominence, setting the stage for the parliamentary polls in 2025.
