Anti-US cleric set to win Iraq polls as West-backed PM lags behind

BAGHDAD: Nationalist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a long-time adversary of the US, led in Iraq's parliamentary election with more than half the votes counted on Monday, the electoral commission said, in a surprise turn of fortune for the Shia leader.

In the first poll since Islamic State was defeated in the country, Shia militia chief Hadi al-Amiri's bloc, which is backed by Iran, was in second place, while PM Haider al-Abadi, once seen as the front runner, trailed in third position. The preliminary results were based on a count of over 95 per cent of the votes cast in 10 of 18 provinces.

Unlike Abadi, a rare ally of both the US and Iran, Sadr is an opponent of both of the countries which have wielded influence in Iraq since a US-led invasion toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 and ushered the Shia majority to power.

Despite a setback, Abadi might still be granted a second term in office by parliament and on Monday he called on all political blocs to respect the results, suggesting he was willing to work with Sadr to form a government.

Sadr can not become PM as he did not run in the election, though his apparent victory puts him in a position to pick someone for the job.