Allawi's coalition wins most seats in Iraq vote

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/WORLD/meast/03/17/iraq.elections/story.iraq.elections.afp.gi.jpg caption="Allawi edged out al-Maliki's coalition in the final vote count." width=300 height=169]

Mohammed Tawfeeq
CNN

Ayad Allawi's Iraqiya coalition won the most seats in Iraq's parliamentary elections, according to results that Iraqi election officials issued Friday.

Allawi's bloc edged out Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition by two in the final count of Iraq's March 7 election for the 325-member parliament, officials said. Allawi is a former Iraqi prime minister.

Allawi's bloc won 91 seats, and the State of Law coalition gained 89. The Iraqi National Alliance, dominated by Shiite parties, got 70 seats, and a Kurdish alliance took 43.

Now Allawi will begin the tough work of gathering at least 163 seats to forge a coalition government.

Keep Reading...