Iraq: key gains after the general election

by AFP Staff Writers
Baghdad (AFP) Nov 17, 2025
Iraq's electoral commission on Monday announced the seat allocations in the newly elected parliament, following the November 11 general election.

Without securing an absolute majority in the 329-seat chamber, the Coordination Framework alliance of Shiite factions with varying links to Iran announced it was forming the majority bloc.

Here is an overview of some of the most important electoral gains.

Iraq's once-oppressed Shiite Muslim majority has had the upper hand in Iraqi politics since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's Sunni Arab-dominated rule.

- Shiite majority -

The main Shiite winners:

- The Reconstruction and Development Coalition of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is hoping for a second term, secured 46 seats, a sharp jump from his small bloc in the previous parliament.

It is not yet clear if Sudani has joined the Coordination Framework alliance.

Key parties in the Coordination Framework:

- The State of Law Coalition led by former premier Nuri al-Maliki, who despite his controversial past still holds sway in Iraq's politics, won 29 seats, down from 37 in the 2021 parliament;

- The National State Forces Alliance of senior politician and cleric Ammar al-Hakim, who heads the moderate Shiite camp, jumped from four seats to 18;

- The Al-Sadiqun list of faction leader Qais al-Khazali, designated by the United States as a terrorist but who has emerged in recent years as an influential politician, won 27 seats (15 in 2021);

- The Badr organisation led by Hadi al-Ameri -- one of the largest pro-Iran factions -- scored 21 seats (up from 16);

- The Huquq list which is close to Kataeb Hezbollah, a pro-Iran armed faction designated as a terrorist group by Washington, won six seats, one more than in 2021.

- Sunni groups -

The Taqaddum (Progress) movement, led by parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, won 27 seats -- the largest Sunni bloc.

- The Kurds -

Autonomous Kurdistan in northern Iraq has long been dominated by two rivals:

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 26 seats (31 in 2021);

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) took 15 (17 in 2021);

A Kurdish opposition party -- New Generation -- won three (down from nine).

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