The United Nations on Monday hailed Iraq’s “credible” vote recount, which paves the way for a government to be formed nearly three months after polls. Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary elections were marred by allegations of fraud, prompting the country’s supreme court to order a partial manual recount. As an official announced the checks had concluded, the UN said it had observed the recount and found it to be “conducted in a manner that is credible, professional and transparent”. “We are very pleased that it’s been concluded and we look forward to the next steps in this process towards the formation of the new government,” said a statement by Alice Walpole, a UN envoy to Iraq.
Iraqi officials have not specified when the results will be announced, after which lawmakers will take their seats in parliament, elect a president and begin the process for forming a government.
Judge Laith Hamza, spokesman for the electoral commission, said Monday the recount “in all polling stations in Iraq and abroad where complaints were registered has ended”.
The commission decided not to undertake such checks for Al-Russafa, one of the largest voting districts in eastern Baghdad, where a fire in June ripped through Iraq’s biggest ballot warehouse.
In the arson attack “882 ballot boxes entirely went up in smoke”, Hamza said in a statement, despite authorities at the time suggesting the votes were saved.
Full Article: UN hails Iraq’s ‘credible’ vote recount | MEO.
