872 challenges filed, 72 left: Iraq’s election appeals enter final stage
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq’s election authorities are preparing to issue final rulings on the remaining 72 appeals submitted against the November parliamentary election results on Sunday.
Under Iraqi electoral law, parties and candidates have three days to file challenges after results are announced, while the Judicial Electoral Panel has ten days to resolve them. Once its decisions are completed, the results are forwarded to the Federal Supreme Court for ratification, making them official and binding.
Of the 872 total appeals, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has already dismissed 800, most due to insufficient evidence.
IHEC spokesperson Hassan Al-Zayer told Shafaq News on Saturday that 872 appeals across more than 55,000 polling stations reflect a strong electoral performance, adding that the limited number of complaints further points to procedural quality.
Meanwhile, elections expert Saad Al-Rawi criticized the prolonged disqualification of candidates, which in some cases lasted months and extended past election day, calling it unprecedented in democratic systems. He also pointed to major campaign-finance violations, saying billions of dinars were spent on advertising far beyond legal limits.
From the perspective of major blocs, Imran Al-Karkoshi of former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition said the appeals process was handled responsibly and transparently, describing the 2025 elections as “the best Iraq has witnessed.” He urged respect for IHEC’s decisions and those of the Constitutional Court.
The November 11 vote marked Iraq’s sixth parliamentary cycle since 2003. Shiite lists won 187 seats, Sunni lists 77 seats, and Kurdish lists 56 seats. Al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development (Al-Ima’ar Wal Tanmiya) Coalition led nationally with 46 seats, followed by State of Law with 29 seats, and Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum with 27 seats. The Shiite Coordination Framework declared itself the largest bloc, which includes Reconstruction and Development, alongside State of Law, Sadiqoun (26), Badr (19), and National State Forces (18).
Voter turnout reached 56.11 percent, well above the 41 percent recorded in 2021.
Once the Judicial Electoral Panel delivers its final decisions on Sunday, the Constitutional Court is expected to ratify the elections’ results, after which Parliament must convene within 15 days to elect a speaker and begin government-formation negotiations. The new Prime Minister will need 165 votes in the 329-seat Council of Representatives to secure a term.
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