Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 14 May 2018, 05:51 am Print
Baghdad: With the lion share of the votes counted, Iraq's Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi is set to lose the polls.
Iraq's parliamentary elections, which took place on Saturday, is the first since declaring itself free from the Islamic State rule.
According to reports, cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is the favourite to register a shock victory. With a militia leader gunning for the second place, Abadi's fraction will have to contend with the third place.
The official result will be announced sometime later today.
Sadr is a Shia candidate, who is said to have benefitted from the low voter turnout of 44.5 percent.
His rise in politics coincides with the fall of former President Saddam Hussain.
According to media reports, nearly 7,000 candidates from 87 parties competed against one another in the polls.
Abadi Image: Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Wikipedia
Sadr Image: مالهوترا/Wikipedia
- UNESCO sounds alarm after Pakistan uses cement on ancient Taxila walls
- Luxury mansions, Lamborghinis and lies: Miles Guo sentenced to 30 years in US prison for $1 billion fraud
- Trump suffers major blow as US Supreme Court blocks bid to end birthright citizenship
- When will Sheikh Hasina return to Bangladesh? Ex-PM sends strong message to current government
- 'Look inwards': India issues sharp response to Pakistan after Islamabad's allegations on Karachi terror strike
