Demanding that parliament be dissolved, influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for fresh elections in Iraq on Wednesday.

Highlighting that he has "no interest" in negotiating with his rivals, Sadr said Iraq has been without a government for nearly 10 months.

In protest at a rival Shiite faction's nomination for a prime minister, Sadr's supporters occupied parliament for a fifth consecutive day.

Taking over the parliament building to prevent his opponents from forming a government, thousands of followers of Sadr stormed Baghdad's Green Zone last week.

Calling his moves a coup and demanding his supporters leave parliament, Sadr's rivals then staged Monday's counter-protest outside the Green Zone.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-sadrist-movement-to-coordination-framework-who-are-iraqs-competing-shiite-groups-502709">From Sadrist movement to Coordination Framework: Who are Iraq’s competing Shi’ite groups</a>

The rival protests a dangerous prospect for Iraq and threatens to drag it into more violence, each side is backed by heavily-armed paramilitaries.

Accusing powerful parties and militias of making a mockery of the demonstrations in 2019, Iraqi activists blame them for the country being mired in dysfunction despite its vast oil wealth and relative peace in recent years.

Sadr's social-political Sadrist Movement has been widely accused of corruption and nepotism that sent Iraq into chaos as the Islamic State took over a third of the country in 2014.

Denying they have mismanaged state institutions and stolen money, Iraq's main Shi'ite leaders share power with large but less influential Sunni and Kurdish parties.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Demanding that parliament be dissolved, influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for fresh elections in Iraq on Wednesday. Highlighting that he has "no interest" in negotiating with his rivals, Sadr said Iraq has been without a government for nearly 10 months.

Demanding that parliament be dissolved, influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr called for fresh elections in Iraq on Wednesday. Highlighting that he has "no interest" in negotiating with his rivals, Sadr said Iraq has been without a government for nearly 10 months. In protest at a rival Shiite faction's nomination for a prime minister, Sadr's supporters occupied parliament for a fifth consecutive day. Taking over the parliament building to prevent his opponents from forming a government, thousands of followers of Sadr stormed Baghdad's Green Zone last week. Calling his moves a coup and demanding his supporters leave parliament, Sadr's rivals then staged Monday's counter-protest outside the Green Zone. Also see | From Sadrist movement to Coordination Framework: Who are Iraq’s competing Shi’ite groups The rival protests a dangerous prospect for Iraq and threatens to drag it into more violence, each side is backed by heavily-armed paramilitaries. Accusing powerful parties and militias of making a mockery of the demonstrations in 2019, Iraqi activists blame them for the country being mired in dysfunction despite its vast oil wealth and relative peace in recent years. Sadr's social-political Sadrist Movement has been widely accused of corruption and nepotism that sent Iraq into chaos as the Islamic State took over a third of the country in 2014. Denying they have mismanaged state institutions and stolen money, Iraq's main Shi'ite leaders share power with large but less influential Sunni and Kurdish parties. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

'Dissolve the parliament': Influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr calls for fresh elections in Iraq

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum.

It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election.

Sadr&nbsp;had hoped parliament would elect Rebar Ahmed, a veteran Kurdish intelligence official and current interior minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region.

But the lack of a quorum, set at two-thirds of the house's 329 members, held up the vote for the second time since February, deepening war-scarred Iraq's political uncertainty.

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"It is a storm in a cup. Today is a good proof that the party that had claimed that it has the majority had failed to achieve it. It is a bad situation getting worse" said Farhad Alaaldin, chairman of the Iraq Advisory Council, a policy research institute.

Only 202 lawmakers showed up for the latest vote and a new session had to be scheduled for Wednesday.

Following the session, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi said the "lack of a quorum forces us to continue holding sessions until it is achieved", the state-owned Iraqi News Agency reported.

A win for Sadr's allies would threaten to exclude Tehran's allies from power for the first time in years.

The delay prolongs a bitter deadlock in Iraqi politics months after an October general election from which Sadr emerged the biggest winner, with his Shi'ite, pro-Iran rivals receiving a hammering at the polls.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tehran-warned-iraq-often-about-threats-posed-to-iran-foreign-ministry-462111">Also read |&nbsp;Tehran warned Iraq often about threats posed to Iran: Foreign ministry</a>

On February 13, Iraq's supreme court ruled out a presidential bid by KDP-backed veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari, after a complaint filed against him over years-old, untried corruption charges.

Sadr, a Shi'ite cleric, has pledged to form a government that would exclude key Iranian allies that have long dominated the state, a red line for those parties and militias and the first time they would not have a cabinet place since 2003.

The candidates put forward for president in the months since the election have been viewed by Iran-aligned groups as Western-leaning and a threat to their interests. 
An attempt to secure the post for Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister, failed when Iraq's Supreme Court last month banned his candidacy of over alleged corruption charges that had resurfaced. Zebari, who was backed by Sadr and allies of Sadr, denies the charges.

A first vote in parliament on February 7 failed to materialise as it was widely boycotted amid the Zebari legal wrangle.

Saturday's failed session underscored the sharp divide in Iraqi politics between Sadr, the general election's big winner, and the powerful Coordination Framework, which had called for a boycott.

The Coordination Framework includes the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance -- the political arm of the Shiite-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum. It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election.

Iraq's parliament on Saturday postponed once again a session to elect the country's new president over a lack of quorum. It comes as a setback to an alliance led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr which won the election. Sadr had hoped parliament would elect Rebar Ahmed, a veteran Kurdish intelligence official and current interior minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. But the lack of a quorum, set at two-thirds of the house's 329 members, held up the vote for the second time since February, deepening war-scarred Iraq's political uncertainty. "It is a storm in a cup. Today is a good proof that the party that had claimed that it has the majority had failed to achieve it. It is a bad situation getting worse" said Farhad Alaaldin, chairman of the Iraq Advisory Council, a policy research institute. Only 202 lawmakers showed up for the latest vote and a new session had to be scheduled for Wednesday. Following the session, parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi said the "lack of a quorum forces us to continue holding sessions until it is achieved", the state-owned Iraqi News Agency reported. A win for Sadr's allies would threaten to exclude Tehran's allies from power for the first time in years. The delay prolongs a bitter deadlock in Iraqi politics months after an October general election from which Sadr emerged the biggest winner, with his Shi'ite, pro-Iran rivals receiving a hammering at the polls. Also read | Tehran warned Iraq often about threats posed to Iran: Foreign ministry On February 13, Iraq's supreme court ruled out a presidential bid by KDP-backed veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari, after a complaint filed against him over years-old, untried corruption charges. Sadr, a Shi'ite cleric, has pledged to form a government that would exclude key Iranian allies that have long dominated the state, a red line for those parties and militias and the first time they would not have a cabinet place since 2003. The candidates put forward for president in the months since the election have been viewed by Iran-aligned groups as Western-leaning and a threat to their interests. An attempt to secure the post for Kurdish politician Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister, failed when Iraq's Supreme Court last month banned his candidacy of over alleged corruption charges that had resurfaced. Zebari, who was backed by Sadr and allies of Sadr, denies the charges. A first vote in parliament on February 7 failed to materialise as it was widely boycotted amid the Zebari legal wrangle. Saturday's failed session underscored the sharp divide in Iraqi politics between Sadr, the general election's big winner, and the powerful Coordination Framework, which had called for a boycott. The Coordination Framework includes the pro-Iran Fatah Alliance -- the political arm of the Shiite-led former paramilitary group Hashed al-Shaabi. (With inputs from agencies)

Iraq presidential vote delayed again over lack of quorum

Iraq's divided parliament postponed a vote of confidence in prime minister-designate Mohammad Allawi's government for a third time Sunday for a lack of quorum, prolonging a political vacuum.

Parliament speaker Mohammed Halbusi did not schedule a new date for the session but noted a constitutional deadline for the vote would expire on Monday.&nbsp;

On Sunday, only 108 lawmakers out of a total of 329 attended the extraordinary session, which had already been delayed twice last week for lack of a quorum.

Iraq's parliament is the most divided in its recent history and Allawi is struggling to secure support from Sunni Arab and Kurdish minorities for his proposed cabinet.&nbsp;

Over the past week, he has adjusted the line-up to bolster support, while also holding talks with Sunni and Kurdish representatives.&nbsp;

Nominated on February 1 to replace Adel Abdel Mahdi who stepped down in December, &nbsp;Allawi must get parliament to approve his cabinet in a confidence vote, otherwise President Barham Salih has said he will designate a new premier unilaterally.

According to political sources, the president intends to propose intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kazimi.

Anti-government demonstrators rallied in Baghdad and southern hotspots on Sunday to press for a &nbsp;government of technocrats not beholden to political parties or foreign interests, said an AFP correspondent.&nbsp;

Demonstrators who have remained mobilised since October have rejected the choice of Allawi for premier, saying he is too close to the elite against which they have protesting.

Iraq's divided parliament postponed a vote of confidence in prime minister-designate Mohammad Allawi's government for a third time Sunday for a lack of quorum, prolonging a political vacuum.

Iraq's divided parliament postponed a vote of confidence in prime minister-designate Mohammad Allawi's government for a third time Sunday for a lack of quorum, prolonging a political vacuum. Parliament speaker Mohammed Halbusi did not schedule a new date for the session but noted a constitutional deadline for the vote would expire on Monday. On Sunday, only 108 lawmakers out of a total of 329 attended the extraordinary session, which had already been delayed twice last week for lack of a quorum. Iraq's parliament is the most divided in its recent history and Allawi is struggling to secure support from Sunni Arab and Kurdish minorities for his proposed cabinet. Over the past week, he has adjusted the line-up to bolster support, while also holding talks with Sunni and Kurdish representatives. Nominated on February 1 to replace Adel Abdel Mahdi who stepped down in December, Allawi must get parliament to approve his cabinet in a confidence vote, otherwise President Barham Salih has said he will designate a new premier unilaterally. According to political sources, the president intends to propose intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kazimi. Anti-government demonstrators rallied in Baghdad and southern hotspots on Sunday to press for a government of technocrats not beholden to political parties or foreign interests, said an AFP correspondent. Demonstrators who have remained mobilised since October have rejected the choice of Allawi for premier, saying he is too close to the elite against which they have protesting.

Iraq postpones confidence vote for third time as clock ticks

The final results of Iraq's elections confirmed Saturday a breakthrough for nationalist cleric Moqtada Sadr, who was in the lead, ahead of internationally favoured prime minister Haider al-Abadi. 
 
But the possibilities for alliances to form a coalition government remain wide open. 
 
None of the three leading groups won more than 50 seats in Parliament in the May 12 vote, which saw record high abstentions with just 44.52 percent turnout -- the lowest since the first multiparty elections in 2005. 
 
In a system calibrated to divide parliament after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein following the American-led invasion of 2003, Moqtada Sadr's Marching Towards Reform alliance is far from assured of governing Iraq for the next four years. 
 
Sadr, who has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister, is looking to be the kingmaker and to cobble together a technocrat government from a dozen parties. 
 
But despite leading the tally, his alliance falls short of a majority and it will take lengthy wrangling to forge a coalition. 
 
Negotiations to form a coalition government began as soon as the vote ended a week ago, with the involvement of the US and Iran -- who both oppose the firebrand Shiite leader. 
 
"Last week was the agreement of principles, and now we enter the phase of forming coalitions," properly speaking, Iraqi political commentator Hicham al-Hachemi told AFP. 
 
The alliance between the populist Shiite preacher and Iraq's communists won 54 seats. 
 
In second place is the Conquest Alliance, made up of ex-fighters from mainly Iran-backed paramilitary units that battled IS, which won 47 seats, ahead of the Victory Alliance, headed by Abadi, which had 42. 
 
The vote&nbspwas a slap in the face to the widely reviled elite that has dominated Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. 
 
Sadr rose to prominence in the wake of the US invasion, when his militia fought a bloody insurgency against American troops. 
 
After years on the sidelines, he has reinvented himself as a champion of the poor and linked up with secularists to battle corruption.&nbsp 
 
He is one of the few Iraqi politicians opposed to both the presence of American troops and the heavy influence that neighbouring Iran exercises over Iraq.&nbsp 
 
Sadr declared on Twitter that the results showed "reform has won and corruption is weakened," but he faces a tricky regional context as he begins coalition negotiations. 
 
The protracted horse-trading comes at a time of high tensions after Washington's withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and fears of a tug-of-war over Iraq. 
 
Even before Sadr's victory was confirmed, Iran had already been convening meetings to try to block him from forming a government. 
 
Iran dispatched the powerful general Qassem Soleimani to Baghdad, who has met with several members of Iraq's old guard including Abadi and his predecessor Nuri al-Maliki. 
 
According to officials, Soleimani has ruled out any alliance with Sadr, who surprised many last year by visiting Iran's regional foe Saudi Arabia as Riyadh seeks increased involvement in Iraq. 
 
Soleimani's shuttle diplomacy is aimed at gathering enough parties opposed to Sadr to deny his alliance a governable majority and a route to the powerful position of prime minister -- though Sadr himself is not in the running for the top job. 
 
Sadr has already ruled out governing with either Maliki or the pro-Tehran head of the Conquest Alliance Hadi al-Ameri.&nbsp&nbsp 
 
He called instead for a technocratic government that can begin to tackle Iraq's rampant corruption and the mammoth rebuilding task left from the battle against IS.

In a system calibrated to divide parliament after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein following the American-led invasion of 2003, Moqtada Sadr's Marching Towards Reform alliance is far from assured of governing Iraq for the next four years

The final results of Iraq's elections confirmed Saturday a breakthrough for nationalist cleric Moqtada Sadr, who was in the lead, ahead of internationally favoured prime minister Haider al-Abadi. But the possibilities for alliances to form a coalition government remain wide open. None of the three leading groups won more than 50 seats in Parliament in the May 12 vote, which saw record high abstentions with just 44.52 percent turnout -- the lowest since the first multiparty elections in 2005. In a system calibrated to divide parliament after the fall of dictator Saddam Hussein following the American-led invasion of 2003, Moqtada Sadr's Marching Towards Reform alliance is far from assured of governing Iraq for the next four years. Sadr, who has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister, is looking to be the kingmaker and to cobble together a technocrat government from a dozen parties. But despite leading the tally, his alliance falls short of a majority and it will take lengthy wrangling to forge a coalition. Negotiations to form a coalition government began as soon as the vote ended a week ago, with the involvement of the US and Iran -- who both oppose the firebrand Shiite leader. "Last week was the agreement of principles, and now we enter the phase of forming coalitions," properly speaking, Iraqi political commentator Hicham al-Hachemi told AFP. The alliance between the populist Shiite preacher and Iraq's communists won 54 seats. In second place is the Conquest Alliance, made up of ex-fighters from mainly Iran-backed paramilitary units that battled IS, which won 47 seats, ahead of the Victory Alliance, headed by Abadi, which had 42. The vote&nbspwas a slap in the face to the widely reviled elite that has dominated Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. Sadr rose to prominence in the wake of the US invasion, when his militia fought a bloody insurgency against American troops. After years on the sidelines, he has reinvented himself as a champion of the poor and linked up with secularists to battle corruption. He is one of the few Iraqi politicians opposed to both the presence of American troops and the heavy influence that neighbouring Iran exercises over Iraq. Sadr declared on Twitter that the results showed "reform has won and corruption is weakened," but he faces a tricky regional context as he begins coalition negotiations. The protracted horse-trading comes at a time of high tensions after Washington's withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and fears of a tug-of-war over Iraq. Even before Sadr's victory was confirmed, Iran had already been convening meetings to try to block him from forming a government. Iran dispatched the powerful general Qassem Soleimani to Baghdad, who has met with several members of Iraq's old guard including Abadi and his predecessor Nuri al-Maliki. According to officials, Soleimani has ruled out any alliance with Sadr, who surprised many last year by visiting Iran's regional foe Saudi Arabia as Riyadh seeks increased involvement in Iraq. Soleimani's shuttle diplomacy is aimed at gathering enough parties opposed to Sadr to deny his alliance a governable majority and a route to the powerful position of prime minister -- though Sadr himself is not in the running for the top job. Sadr has already ruled out governing with either Maliki or the pro-Tehran head of the Conquest Alliance Hadi al-Ameri. He called instead for a technocratic government that can begin to tackle Iraq's rampant corruption and the mammoth rebuilding task left from the battle against IS.

Cleric Moqtada Sadr wins Iraq election but forming government far off

Populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, has all but won Iraq's parliamentary election, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi'ite leader.

In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Iran-backed Shi'ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri's bloc was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq's 18 provinces.

Sadr's bloc did not run in the remaining two provinces, Kurdish Dohuk and the ethnically-mixed oil province of Kirkuk. The results there, which may be delayed due to tensions between local parties, will not affect Sadr's standing.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both countries, which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and thrust the Shi'ite majority into power.

Sadr has led two uprisings against US&nbspforces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi'ite leaders to distance himself from Iran.

Despite the election setback, Abadi might still be granted a second term in office by parliament and on Monday he called on all political blocs to respect the results and suggested he was willing to work with Sadr to form a government.

"We are ready to work and cooperate in forming the strongest government for Iraq, free of corruption," Abadi said in a live televised address. Corruption has been at the top of Sadr's agenda for several years.

Projecting himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iran-backed figures.

He cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.

But even then, his bloc might not necessarily form the next government. Whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results.

Saturday's election is the first since the defeat of Islamic State last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014.

Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said, the lowest participation rate in Iraq's post-Saddam history. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday.

Election calculus

Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric's bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats.

A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces.

Reuters could not independently verify the document's authenticity but the results in it for the 16 announced provinces were in line with those announced by the commission.

Reuters calculations based on the document showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with over 1.3 million votes and gained around 54 of parliament's 329 seats.

He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into around 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and about 42 seats. Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with around 25 seats.

The remaining uncounted ballots, mostly from Iraqis abroad, the security services, and internally displaced people voting in camps and elsewhere, might change the final seat tallies but only marginally.

Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination.

In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi's group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming premier for which he blamed Tehran.

New government

A similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it will not allow his bloc to govern.

"We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq," Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February.

His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups which joined protests organised by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption.

Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favour of Sadr's list, backed by his group, "is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (countries) based on non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs".

"Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence," he added.

During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite's systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they did not receive any benefits of their country's oil wealth.

"This vote is a clear message that the people want to change the system of governance that has produced corruption and weakened state institutions," said Fahmy.

Iraq has been ranked among the world's most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, poverty, weak public institutions and crumbling infrastructure despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government's financial resources.

Fahmy told his party's website that Abadi's bloc was "closer" to Sadr's than others.

Balancing act

Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. His father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was killed in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father's cousin, Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, was killed by Saddam in 1980.

Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission's announcement, with thousands of Sadr's supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags.

Many chanted "Iran out".

Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from US&nbspPresident Donald Trump's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theatre of conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Abadi, a British-educated engineer, came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq's territory. He received US&nbspmilitary support that was helped by the victory of Iraqi security forces over the Sunni militant group and gave free rein to Iran to back Shi'ite militias fighting on the same side.

If parliament does grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain the balancing act between Washington and Tehran.

The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq's 18 provinces

Populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the United States, has all but won Iraq's parliamentary election, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shi'ite leader. In the first election since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Iran-backed Shi'ite militia chief Hadi al-Amiri's bloc was in second place, while Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front-runner, trailed in third. The preliminary results were based on a count of more than 91 percent of the votes cast in 16 of Iraq's 18 provinces. Sadr's bloc did not run in the remaining two provinces, Kurdish Dohuk and the ethnically-mixed oil province of Kirkuk. The results there, which may be delayed due to tensions between local parties, will not affect Sadr's standing. Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the United States and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both countries, which have wielded influence in Iraq since a U.S.-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and thrust the Shi'ite majority into power. Sadr has led two uprisings against US&nbspforces in Iraq and is one of the few Shi'ite leaders to distance himself from Iran. Despite the election setback, Abadi might still be granted a second term in office by parliament and on Monday he called on all political blocs to respect the results and suggested he was willing to work with Sadr to form a government. "We are ready to work and cooperate in forming the strongest government for Iraq, free of corruption," Abadi said in a live televised address. Corruption has been at the top of Sadr's agenda for several years. Projecting himself as an Iraqi nationalist, Sadr has a zealous following among the young, poor and dispossessed, but he had been sidelined by influential Iran-backed figures. He cannot become prime minister as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job. But even then, his bloc might not necessarily form the next government. Whoever wins the most seats must negotiate a coalition government in order to have a majority in parliament. The government should be formed within 90 days of the official results. Saturday's election is the first since the defeat of Islamic State last year. The group overran a third of Iraq in 2014. Turnout was 44.52 percent with 92 percent of votes counted, the Independent High Electoral Commission said, the lowest participation rate in Iraq's post-Saddam history. Full results are due to be officially announced later on Monday. Election calculus Sadr and Amiri both came in first in four of the 10 provinces where votes were counted, but the cleric's bloc won significantly more votes in the capital, Baghdad, which has the highest number of seats. A document provided to Reuters by a candidate in Baghdad that was also circulating among journalists and analysts showed results from all 18 provinces. Reuters could not independently verify the document's authenticity but the results in it for the 16 announced provinces were in line with those announced by the commission. Reuters calculations based on the document showed Sadr had won the nationwide popular vote with over 1.3 million votes and gained around 54 of parliament's 329 seats. He was followed by Amiri with more than 1.2 million votes, translating into around 47 seats, and Abadi with more than 1 million votes and about 42 seats. Former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a close ally of Iran like Amiri, came in fourth with around 25 seats. The remaining uncounted ballots, mostly from Iraqis abroad, the security services, and internally displaced people voting in camps and elsewhere, might change the final seat tallies but only marginally. Winning the largest number of seats does not automatically guarantee that Sadr will be able to hand-pick a prime minister. The other winning blocs would have to agree on the nomination. In a 2010 election, Vice President Ayad Allawi's group won the largest number of seats, albeit with a narrow margin, but he was blocked from becoming premier for which he blamed Tehran. New government A similar fate could befall Sadr. Iran has publicly stated it will not allow his bloc to govern. "We will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq," Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in February. His statement, which sparked criticism by Iraqi figures, was referring to the electoral alliance between Sadr, the Iraqi Communist Party and other secular groups which joined protests organised by Sadr in 2016 to press the government to see through a move to stem endemic corruption. Iraqi Communist Party Secretary General Raed Fahmy told Reuters the vote in favour of Sadr's list, backed by his group, "is a clear message that we must have balanced relations with all (countries) based on non-interference in Iraq's internal affairs". "Everybody is welcome to provide support to Iraq, but not at the expense of its sovereignty and independence," he added. During the campaign, frustrated Iraqis of all shades complained about their political elite's systematic patronage, bad governance and corruption, saying they did not receive any benefits of their country's oil wealth. "This vote is a clear message that the people want to change the system of governance that has produced corruption and weakened state institutions," said Fahmy. Iraq has been ranked among the world's most corrupt countries, with high unemployment, poverty, weak public institutions and crumbling infrastructure despite high oil revenues for many years. Endemic corruption has eaten at the government's financial resources. Fahmy told his party's website that Abadi's bloc was "closer" to Sadr's than others. Balancing act Sadr derives much of his authority from his family. His father, highly respected Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, was killed in 1999 for defying Saddam Hussein. His father's cousin, Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, was killed by Saddam in 1980. Celebrations erupted on the streets of Baghdad after the commission's announcement, with thousands of Sadr's supporters singing, chanting, dancing and setting off fireworks while carrying his picture and waving Iraqi flags. Many chanted "Iran out". Whoever wins the election will have to contend with the fallout from US&nbspPresident Donald Trump's decision to quit the Iran nuclear deal, a move Iraqis fear could turn their country into a theatre of conflict between Washington and Tehran. Abadi, a British-educated engineer, came to power four years ago after Islamic State seized a third of Iraq's territory. He received US&nbspmilitary support that was helped by the victory of Iraqi security forces over the Sunni militant group and gave free rein to Iran to back Shi'ite militias fighting on the same side. If parliament does grant him a second term, Abadi will remain under pressure to maintain the balancing act between Washington and Tehran.

Populist cleric Sadr all but wins Iraq election

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'Dissolve the parliament': Influential Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr calls for fresh elections in Iraq

Iraq presidential vote delayed again over lack of quorum

Iraq postpones confidence vote for third time as clock ticks

Cleric Moqtada Sadr wins Iraq election but forming government far off

Populist cleric Sadr all but wins Iraq election