Iraq parliament orders full election recount

Iraq's parliament on Wednesday ordered a manual recount of the May 12 legislative elections and sacked the commission which oversaw the polls that resulted in a surprise victory for a populist Shia cleric.

After several failed attempts because of a lack of quorum, 173 members of the outgoing 328-seat house met to order a recount at all polling stations, covering almost 11 million votes, in response to charges of electoral fraud.

The nine-member independent commission was dismissed and is to be replaced by judges.

Confusion has gripped Iraq since the vote won by Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's electoral alliance with communists, even with negotiations to form a new government underway.

Since last month's victory of anti-establishment electoral lists, long-time political figures pushed out by Iraqi voters hoping for change have been calling for a recount.

According to intelligence services, tests of electronic voting machines - used for the first time in Iraqi elections - produced varied results, appearing to give credence to the fraud claims.

Parliament already voted last week to annul the ballots of displaced Iraqis and those living abroad.