Iraqi PM Maliki Certain of Victory

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki voices certainty of victory on Wednesday in the parliamentary elections taking place in the country.Nouri al-Maliki

Maliki encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers, and voiced confidence that he would return to power after casting his ballot at a VIP voting centre set up in the Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone.

"Today is a big success, and even better than the last elections, even though there is no foreign soldier on Iraqi soil," the premier said.

He called for a move away from national unity governments to ones of political majority, and confidently told journalists, "Our victory is certain, but we are waiting to see the size of our victory."