Despite Allawi gains, Maliki prospects brighter

Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition continues to stand a better chance of winning the country’s recent parliamentary polls, despite his rival Iyad Allawi’s recent slight edge over the Iraqi premier’s side.

On Saturday, former Prime Minister Allawi’s al-Iraqiya Alliance was said to be leading Maliki’s Rule of Law coalition by some 8,000 votes.

With the parliamentary seats being allotted by province, the turn of events has not disheartened Maliki’s supporters as the Rule of Law retains its lead in seven of Iraq’s 18 provinces — two more than the ones conquered by Iraqiya.

Electoral officials are to announce the results by the end of the month with less than 10 percent of the ballot yet to be counted.

More than 6,200 candidates from six major coalitions and several other tribal and minority groups vied for the 325 seats on March 7, despite the prospects of violence and fear of subversion on the part of Baath loyalists — the outlawed party of the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The event kicked off following the disqualification of suspected Baath sympathizers. Elections Day also saw at least 37 people getting killed in 136 attacks.