Iraqi PM says he’ll challenge election results which show secular challenger with more seats

Iraqi PM says he will challenge election results

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister says he does not accept election results showing his secular challenger winning more seats in the country’s parliamentary election.

Full results released Friday for Iraq’s 325-seat parliament show former prime minister Ayad Allawi winning 91 seats, edging out Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s 89 seats.

Al-Maliki told a news conference he would challenge the results.

The tally marks a serious setback for al-Maliki but do not necessarily guarantee Allawi the prime minister’s post, only the right to try to form a coalition government.

The results were based on numbers released by the election commission and compiled by The Associated Press. The commission released the seat allocation by but did not include an overall number of seats won.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Results released by Iraq’s election commission show a secular challenger has beaten the country’s prime minister in parliamentary elections, positioning him to be the first to try to form a government.

The full election results show former prime minister Ayad Allawi winning 91 seats, edging out Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as results were released Friday for Iraq’s 325-seat parliament.

The results mark a serious setback for al-Maliki but do not necessarily guarantee Allawi the prime minister’s post, only the right to try to form a coalition government.

The results were based on numbers released by the election commission and compiled by The Associated Press. The commission released the seat allocation province-by-province and did not include an overall number of seats won by each coalition.