Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani casts his ballot at a polling station in Baghdad during Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections on Tuesday.
Sudani: ‘We expect continued attempts to cast doubt on the coalition’s victory’
BAGHDAD – Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, leader of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, met Thursday with several of his coalition’s winning candidates, framing their strong showing in Iraq’s recent parliamentary elections as proof of renewed confidence in his leadership even as rival Shia blocs collectively outnumber his seats.
In a statement, Al-Sudani said the results reflect “a renewed public trust in the political process,” adding that a turnout exceeding 56% was “unexpected.”
He said “the government and the Reconstruction and Development Coalition were subjected to a campaign of misinformation before the elections,” and added, “we expect continued attempts to cast doubt on the coalition’s victory and the nearly 1.4 million votes it secured—more than any political group in past elections.”
Al-Sudani said the coalition will now begin negotiations to form a “parliamentary-government project” capable of addressing current challenges and meeting citizens’ needs.
Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission released preliminary results from the 2025 parliamentary elections during a press conference in Baghdad on Wednesday evening, confirming Al-Sudani’s coalition as the leading bloc.
Despite placing first in projected seat count, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition remains far from a parliamentary majority. Other Shia rivals, including Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law, Qais Al-Khazali’s Al-Sadiqoun Movement, Hadi Al-Amiri’s Badr Organization and Ammar Al-Hakim’s National State Forces Alliance, are collectively expected to secure more than double the number of seats projected for Al-Sudani’s list.
According to 964media projections, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition is expected to win 46 seats, the highest number in parliament. Former Speaker Mohammad Al-Halbousi’s Taqadum Party follows with 29 seats, matching the projected total for former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by Masoud Barzani, is expected to secure 27 or 28 seats, while Al-Khazali’s Al-Sadiqoun Movement is projected to win 27.
Other leading blocs include Al-Hakim’s National State Forces Alliance with 19 seats, Al-Amiri’s Badr Organization with 18, Bafel Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with 18, and Muthanna Al-Samarrai’s Azm Alliance with 15.