Iraq just had its first parliamentary elections since U.S. forces withdrew in 2011.<br/> <br />Now, the important business of counting the votes.<br/> <br />Ballot counting continued on Saturday across the country.<br/> <br />Wednesday's national election was a key test of the country's fledgling democracy.<br/> <br />But it came amid renewed violence, at levels not seen since the dark days of its civil war from 2005 to 2008.<br/> <br />In Basra, a U.N. delegation observed election workers.<br/> <br />The counting may take three weeks.<br/> <br />Election officials hope to declare final results by the end of May.<br/> <br />Winners are expected to fall within sectarian and ethnic lines<br/> <br />And no one group is expected to come close to enjoying a majority in parliament.
