Iraq’s election turnout rises to 55%, defying expectations: What to know

Polls closed in Iraq’s parliamentary election at 6:00 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EST), with the country's electoral commission reporting turnout above 55% — higher than expected after early signs pointed to a potential record low.

The Independent High Electoral Commission said late Tuesday that just over 12 million of Iraq’s roughly 20 million registered voters had cast ballots, with 99.7% of polling stations reporting their results.

Voting for the next Council of Representatives began at 7:00 a.m. local time across Iraq’s 19 provinces. The election will determine the makeup of the unicameral parliament and the next prime minister. In Iraq’s political system, the president will task the largest coalition with forming a government after the results are in.

The largest coalition is not necessarily the list with the most votes, and the parties will form alliances after the votes are counted with the goal of securing a large enough alliance to form a government. The Council of Ministers will then vote on the next prime minister.