Allawi coalition garners most seats in Iraq's election

Opposition challenger Ayad Allawi's organization has won the most seats in Iraq's election, according to preliminary results announced on Friday.

The Independent High Electoral Commission is confirming that the cross-sectarian Iraqiya bloc, headed by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, took 91 of the 325 seats in this month's parliamentary poll.

The State of Law coalition, led by Shi'ite Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, was close behind with 89 seats.

Allawi is a secular Shi'ite politician who appealed across sectarian lines to attract minority Sunnis to his side. He has been out of power since the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

Ayad Allawi, Iraqiya Political Bloc Leader, said, "Iraq continues to live through a predicament that touches every one of us, but it's time to achieve a genuine and broad partnership in which no discrimination exists between Sunnis, Turkomen, Kurds, Shi'ites, and Christians."