Recount of ballots from Iraq’s May vote doesn’t alter result – election commission

Iraq’s Electoral Commission said on Friday the result of its recount of ballots from May’s parliamentary election doesn’t alter the overall outcome of the vote. Earlier this week, the commission completed its recount from the vote, which was marred by allegations of fraud and irregularities. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who gained the largest share of the vote, retained his 54 seats in the 329-seat parliament, as did Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s alliance with 42 seats, an election commission official, Hazem al-Rudeini, told AP. An Iran-backed bloc made up of Shiite militias which came in second in the results, increased its share by one seat, to 48.