Iraqi parties intensify calls to challenge election results
Some Iraqi political parties are challenging the results of recent parliamentary elections, citing fraud and faulty electronic voting technology, but those who support the election results say a vote recount could lead to a civil war.
BAGHDAD — Iraqi member of parliament Jassim al-Bayati told the press that a number of parliamentary blocs want to put to a vote an amendment to Iraq's election law on June 4. The amendment would call for a manual recount of votes from the country's recent parliamentary elections — a move that could lead to the total or partial cancellation of election results. This comes after parliament voted May 28 to cancel the votes of Iraqi expatriates and institute a recount of 10% of the total number of votes.
However, Riyadh al-Badran, the head of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), believes that the total or partial cancellation of the election results could lead to a “civil war.” Badran said in a May 29 television interview that, based on the electoral law, which gives Iraqi expatriates the right to vote, the cancellation of votes from abroad “is not feasible.”
