Former PM retains narrow lead in Iraq election

According to the latest figures released by Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's coalition remains slightly in the lead in the national ballot.

An Iraqi soldier stands guard in front of a poster of former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi in Baghdad. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's calls for a recount of votes from Iraq's polls were on Sunday rebuffed by its election commission, amid a tight race to form the biggest bloc in parliament.(AFP/Ali al-Saadi)

Officials released a new preliminary count of 95 percent of the vote on Sunday. Allawi's secular, cross-sectarian Iraqiya bloc is ahead of Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his State of Law coalition by around 11 thousand votes.

Meanwhile, Iraq's president has called for a recount. The demand from President Jalal Talabani came a day after al-Maliki also appeared to favour the idea. The call found support in the southern city of Najaf, where about 500 protesters gathered to demand votes be counted again.

Andan Al-Zurfi, Governor of Najaf said, "We support calls by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani to recount the election under the supervision of all political entities."

But the electoral commission swiftly dismissed the idea, and urged political parties to be patient and lodge complaints through the appropriate channels.

Chairman of Ihec Faraj Al-Haidari said, "It is simply not possible for a political entity to ask for a total recount of votes in an entire city, or in the whole of Iraq, merely on account of some suspicion that a mistake might have been made in a polling station."

The commission chief said the full and final count would be released on Friday evening. However, once the tally is in, the results will then have to be certified by the Supreme Court after all complaints have been reviewed, a process which could take several weeks.