Iraq: Vote fraud allegations trigger recount, fear of turmoil
Electoral commission cancelling results from more than 1,000 polling stations used in this month’s parliamentary vote.
Iraq’s electoral commission says it is cancelling the results from more than 1,000 polling stations used in this month’s parliamentary vote. It says it has evidence of fraud at voting centres both in Iraq and for citizens living abroad.
Iraqi MPs called for votes in the predominantly Sunni provinces of Anbar, Diyala, Salahuddin and Nineveh and all ballots cast by Iraqis living abroad to be manually recounted.
The demand was supported by many Sunni politicians and others who oppose the election results which saw a successful outcome for three main Shia-led blocs in Iraq’s first election since the defeat of ISIL.
Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi warned in his weekly news conference of potential political instability if demands for recounts continued.
Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford has more from Baghdad.