( CNN ) -- The Iraqi Prime Minister 's coalition has won the most seats in Parliament , despite the cancellation of ballots from 300 polling stations , election officials said Monday . Votes in those stations were nullified because of attempted tampering and inconsistencies , the nation 's Independent High Electoral Commission said . Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki 's State of Law coalition won 92 out of 328 parliamentary seats in last month 's election , far more than any other political bloc , according to the commission . His main rivals finished with fewer than 30 seats , putting the Shiite Prime Minister far ahead of his competition but short of a majority . Though the win improves his chances of a third term , his coalition must reach out to other blocs to gain enough support . Al-Maliki faced fierce opposition amid the worst sectarian violence in more than five years . `` As the people of Iraq have now spoken , I call upon all elected representatives to work together for the future of Iraq , '' said Nickolay Mladenov , the top United Nations official in Iraq . Last year was the deadliest in Iraq since 2008 , with more than 8,800 people killed , most of them civilians , according to the United Nations . Tensions are fueled by widespread discontent among Sunnis , who say they are marginalized by the Shiite-led government and unfairly targeted by brutal security tactics . Some 277 political entities across Iraq contested for 328 seats of the Iraqi Council of Representatives , the country 's parliament . There were 9,032 candidates . `` Today 's announcement is a testament to the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people , and another milestone in the democratic development of Iraq , '' the United States Embassy said after the results were announced . `` As the process moves toward government formation , we encourage all political entities to conduct talks in a spirit of cooperation and respect for the will of the voters . '' Iraqis voted April 30 in their first nationwide polls since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. forces . `` Given the challenges confronting Iraq , it is essential that a new government and its leaders seek to unite the country through the formation of a new government that is supported by all Iraqi communities and that is prepared to advance tangible and implementable programs , '' said Bernadette Meehan , spokeswoman for the National Security Council . Opinion : Why Iraq elections ca n't fix chaos left behind by U.S. CNN 's Matthew Hoye and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report .
It was Iraq 's first nationwide vote since the 2011 withdrawal of U.S. forces . Iraq has battled sectarian violence for months . Comment: