Preliminary results from Iraq's parliamentary election will be released today, an electoral commission official said yesterday.

None of the political blocs contesting Sunday's vote was expected to win a decisive victory and talks to form a coalition government could take months. That could create a dangerous vacuum as Iraq tries to cement security gains against a stubborn Islamist insurgency as US troops prepare to leave.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition polled well in Shi'ite southern provinces and a secular, cross-sectarian bloc led by former premier Iyad Allawi appeared to be strong in Sunni areas of the north and west, according to informal tallies.

Lawmaker Sami al-Askari, a member of Maliki's coalition, said State of Law took about 45% of the vote in Baghdad and would win about half the seats in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf. It was running third in some northern areas behind Iraqiya and the Kurdish Alliance, he said.

"We will be the biggest bloc in the next parliament and according to the constitution we will be the bloc that will nominate the next prime minister," he said. "But definitely we will need to ally with one or two other lists."

High turnout

Turnout was 62% in a poll that Iraqis hope will help bring better governance and stability after years of sectarian warfare as US troops prepare to formally end combat operations by August 31 and pull out by the end of 2011. The turnout was higher than last year's provincial election despite attempts by Sunni Islamist insurgents to disrupt the vote with attacks that killed 39.

Officials have said they will release the first results when 30% of the vote has been counted.

"We started entering information in the database today and an announcement about the first 30% of the results will be tomorrow," said Waleed Zubaidi, operations manager for Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission.

The solid turnout indicated Iraqis were not deterred by explosions that rumbled across Baghdad on Election Day. – Reuters