Iraqi premier says to start talks to form new government as his coalition leads parliamentary polls

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Wednesday he will begin negotiations soon to form a new government as his coalition takes lead in the parliamentary elections.

In a televised address, al-Sudani said his Reconstruction and Development Coalition came first in the parliamentary elections and “will remain so.”

He pledged that the upcoming government will “serve all Iraqis and protect the interests of everyone, including those who chose to boycott the vote.”

“Iraq belongs to all and will remain for all,” he stressed.

Preliminary results announced by the electoral commission showed that al-Sudani’s coalition came first in Baghdad with 411,026 votes.

The commission said that voter turnout in the polls reached 56.11% nationwide.