Al-Sadr coalition success in Iraq election

A political bloc led by populist cleric Muqtada alSadr, a long-time adversary of the United States who also opposes Iranian influence in Iraq, has won Iraq’s parliamentary election, the electoral commission said yesterday.

Al-Sadr himself cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his bloc’s victory puts him in a position to have a strong say in negotiations. His Sairoon coalition captured 54 parliamentary seats.

The Victory Alliance, headed by incumbent prime minister Haider al-Abadi, trailed in third place with 42 seats, several seats behind the Al-Fatih bloc, which won 47 seats.