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Iraqi prime minister 's bloc wins provincial vote
Robert H. Reid The Associated Press
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: News
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The impressive showing, which must be certified by international and Iraqi observers, places al-Maliki in a strong position before parliamentary elections late this year and could bolster U.S. confidence that it can begin withdrawing more of its 140,000 troops.
The results were a major blow to Iraq's biggest Shiite religious party - the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council - which trailed in every Shiite province including its base in the holy city of Najaf.
Still, the margin of victory in a number of Shiite provinces was narrow, indicating the prime minister's supporters will have to cut deals with their rivals in order to govern.
And al-Maliki's Coalition of the State of Law gained little traction in Sunni areas, suggesting that sectarian divisions still play a major role in Iraqi politics. Al-Maliki is himself a Shiite from a religious party but his bloc ran on a platform against sectarianism.
Some Western diplomats believe al-Maliki's biggest problem now will be fending off challenges from fellow Shiites as well as Sunnis and Kurds - who all underestimated him two years ago but now have a strong vested interest in curbing his power.
The elections, for ruling councils in 14 of the 18 provinces, were the first nationwide balloting since December 2005 and went off peacefully. But a suicide bomber struck Thursday in an ethnically tense northern town, killing 14 people, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.
The election commission must apportion seats on provincial councils based on the percentages of the vote won by each party, a process that could take weeks. Council members in turn elect the provincial governors.
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