Vote counting continues in Iraq’s parliamentary elections

Vote counting continues in Iraq, several days after parliamentary elections across the country. More than 20 million Iraqis were eligible to cast their ballots to choose a new legislative body which will pick the next prime minister and president. Voter turnout was 60%, with final results due to be announced in two weeks after the elections.
The vote was held amid threats by al-Qaeda-linked militants to disrupt it. However, the elections took place, with no major violent incident. Now, there are mixed reactions on whether the elections were successful. Others, however, are critical of the performance of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government. Dozens of people lost their lives in the run-up to the elections in terror attacks which had been the latest gripping Iraq over the past year. Prime Minister Maliki has described the high turnout in the April 30 elections as a slap in the face of terrorism. Maliki also invited his critics to put the bickering and rivalry of Wednesday’s parliamentary elections behind them and join him in a majority government. His remarks to many reflect confidence that he would get a third term in office.