BAGHDAD: The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has announced the final results of the provincial elections held in 15 of the country's 18 provinces, excluding the three provinces in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.

The Nabni Coalition, led by Hadi al-Ameri, leader of the Badr Organization affiliated with the Hashd Shaabi forces, emerged as the frontrunner after winning 43 seats in ten provinces, including Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported.

The State of Law Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, won 35 seats.

The Sunni alliance, known as Taqaddum (progress), headed by the sacked parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, won 21 seats in five provinces.

According to the IHEC, around 6.6 million out of more than 16 million eligible voters cast their votes during the general voting on December 18 and early voting on December 16. The voters chose 285 new members for the provincial councils from 5,901 candidates.

Iraq last held provincial elections in April 2013.