Iraqis have ratified their new constitution, it was announced on Tuesday. Electoral Commission officials told a news conference 78 per cent of voters backed the charter and 21 per cent opposed it.
Only two of the 18 provinces - both Sunni areas - recorded 'No' votes greater than two thirds. Had a third area voted no then the constitution would have failed.
Speaking before he made the announcement, Farid Ayar, an official with the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, said: 'Whatever the results of the referendum are ... it is a civilized step that aims to put Iraq on the path of true democracy.'
All eyes had been on the mainly Sunni province of Nineveh in northern Iraq which held the key to the results. However, although the area returned a no vote - the majority wasn't sufficient enough to cause the constitution to be dropped.
The 55.08 percent of people who voted 'no' fell short of two thirds majority needed for it to be classed as the third 'no' vote.
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