Al-Sadr`s Coalition wins Iraq’s elections

Moqtada al-Sadr’s alliance has won Iraq’s parliamentary elections, for the first time, captured 54 parliamentary seats

Sadr’s movement forms the backbone of the Sa’iroun alliance, but the senior Shia cleric himself, who enjoys a strong support, did not contest the elections

The Conquest Alliance, led by former transport minister and secretary general of Badr Organisation Hadi al-Ameri, came in second with 47 seats and the Victory Alliance, headed by incumbent Prime Minister Haider al- Abadi, took the third place with 42 seats

Iraqis voted last Saturday in the first national elections since the country declared complete victory over Daesh.

The electoral commission of Iraq announced that 44.5 percent of those eligible had cast their ballots in the elections

Over 7,000 candidates contested the 329 seats in the parliament that will choose a new president, prime minister and government in Iraq

This is the fourth such polls since the 2003 US invasion that led to a sharp rise in sectarian tensions and ensuing terror-related violence in the Arab country