ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres late Tuesday called for a swift formation of Iraq’s next government, lauding the “calm and orderly” elections as “effective” and reaffirming support to Baghdad. 

Iraq held its sixth legislative vote since the 2003 US-led invasion on Tuesday, with an unexpectedly high turnout rate of 55 percent at 99.7 percent of the ballots counted. Nearly 7,750 candidates competed for the parliament’s 329 seats. 

“The Secretary-General welcomes the generally calm and orderly conduct of the polls and trusts that political stakeholders will maintain the spirit of peace and respect for the electoral process as results are awaited,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres, said in a statement. 

He further “the importance of a timely and peaceful government formation process that reflects the will of the Iraqi people and addresses their aspirations for stability and development.” 

Over 300 international observers were present to cover the process. 

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) is expected to announce preliminary results for the vote later on Wednesday. It is currently in the process of manually and electronically tallying the votes cast in over 7,000 polling stations across the country.

Reaffirming the UN’s commitment to Iraq, Guterres thanked the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) as the body approaches the conclusion of its mission. 

“The Secretary-General also wishes to express his appreciation for the Mission’s long-standing partnership with Iraq’s electoral institutions and the conclusion of over two decades of UNAMI’s electoral assistance,” the diplomat said.

Headed by Mohamed al-Hassan, UNAMI is tasked with assisting the country in countering human rights violations and strengthening ties between the government, citizens, as well as civil and justice institutions. The mission’s mandate is set to terminate on December 31, 2025.