Iraq Supreme Court ratifies election results, triggering 90-day deadline to form government

Iraq's May 12 election results have been ratified by the country's Supreme Court, a spokesman for the judicial body said on Sunday.

The move formalises the results and sets in motion a 90-day constitutional deadline for the winning parties to select a speaker, form a government and choose a prime minister.

"The Federal Supreme Court issued on the afternoon of Aug. 19, 2018, its decision to ratify the names received," Supreme Court spokesman Iyas al-Samouk said in a statement.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's government welcomed the announcement.

"The government welcomes the decision by Iraq's Federal Supreme Court to certify the results of the May 12 parliamentary election. This milestone paves the way for the convening of the first session of the new parliament, and subsequently the formation of the new government," it said in a statement.

Iraq has seen a month of unrest since protests erupted in the south of the country and spread to Baghdad, with demonstrators rallying against a lack of public services and jobs.

Discontent among the country's population was indicated during the election, which saw a record low turnout of 44.5 percent, with many Iraqis disillusioned by the political class. 

The election was mired in controversy after allegations of vote rigging and irregularities at polling stations. The country's parliament ordered a manual recount in June following a government report blaming the electoral commission for widespread violations.

The recount made little difference to the initial outcome, allowing populist Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to retain his lead in the polls. Sadr will play a key role in forming the new government.

Sadr and others who led in the polls are faced with the challenge of pulling together a government at a time when tensions in the country are high over inadequate public services, unemployment and the slow pace of development since the Abadi government announced the official defeat of the Islamic State group.