No party wins majority in first elected Bangsamoro Parliament

COTABATO CITY — No single party won control of the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament, leaving the region's incoming legislature hung and its next government dependent on coalition talks.

The Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) finished with 31 seats and the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) with 30 in the 80-member Parliament, short of the 41 needed for a majority. The BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) took 15.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) completed the proclamation of all 80 members on Tuesday evening, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia told reporters Thursday.

The Parliament is composed of 40 seats for regional political parties, 32 for parliamentary districts, and eight sectoral and reserved seats.

In the party vote, the BFP took 16 seats with 678,328 votes, the UBJP 15 with 613,663, the BGC eight with 391,266, and the Bangsamoro People's (Raayat) Democratic Party one with 68,839. Four parties cleared the 2.5-percent threshold.

The UBJP swept all six sectoral seats contested on September 14 — two for settler communities and one each for women, youth, the ulama, and traditional leaders. The two seats reserved for non-Moro indigenous peoples were filled through an assembly of six tribes on August 25, ahead of the polls.

Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who filed as an independent before joining the BFP as its leader, won the Maguindanao del Norte Third District seat.

MILF Vice Chairman and BTA MP Mohagher Iqbal, who won a seat in the new parliament, said parties would need to coalesce with those advocating similar platforms of government.

Macacua has said coalition talks with other political groups are already under way.

Garcia, addressing the incoming members on Wednesday, said the people had entrusted them with votes paid for in blood, time, and faith, and urged them to serve as instruments of the peace, justice, and progress the Bangsamoro have long struggled for.

Turnout was 84.34 percent — 2,018,478 of about 2.393 million registered voters.

The new members assume office on October 30 and will elect the Chief Minister.

They serve a five-year term ending June 30, 2031.