BAGHDAD, April 28 (UPI) -- The Iraqiya slate of former Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi called on the international community to consider new elections in Iraq.
Iraq had elections March 7 for the 325-member Council of Representatives. The Iraqiya slate won a narrow victory over the State of Law coalition of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, though none of the parties secured enough seats to unilaterally form a government.
A court in Baghdad disqualified two of the winners from the March 7 contest Monday, casting the government forming process in disarray. The Justice and Accountability Commission, a body tasked with vetting March 7 candidates, said Tuesday it was reviewing additional election victors for links to the Baath Party of Saddam Hussein.
Several of the members are on the Iraqiya slate, possibly tipping the balance in favor of State of Law.
Iraqiya, in what it said was its final communication on the matter, said late Tuesday it was calling on the international community "to exercise their moral and legal right over the protection of the political process from any injustices and to form a caretaker government and repeat the elections in an environment free of any political manipulation."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a response Tuesday to the political fragmentation in Iraq said Washington respects Iraq's right to challenge the results.
"However, for challenges to be credible and legitimate they must also be transparent and must accord with the laws and mechanisms established for the conduct of the elections," she said.
