'Opposition' claims victory in Lebanon
After the fourth and final round of voting in Lebanon, Saad Al-Hariri's Future Bloc has claimed victory. His party claims to have secured an absolute majority in parliament.
But what's not so clear is how the bloc can be labelled the 'opposition'. He is aligned with mecurial Walid Jumblatt as well as Hezbollah and right-wing Christian parties.
On the other hand, in the most improbable u-turn, warlord Michel Aoun teamed up with pro-Syrian candidates after it became clear he had no chance of winning seats on his own. But Aoun's ally, the former minister Suleiman Franjieh - a friend of Damascus - has conceeded defeat.
The first two rounds were shoo-in's: in Beirut Hariri won the entire city, in the second round in the South, Hezbollah/Amal won the region. But the predictability ended there. Round three was Mount Lebanon, where Aoun's pro/anti Syrian alliance snatched seats from Hariri. There's been a similar battle in the North in today's final round - Aoun is the only man able to prevent Hariri winning an absolute majority. If that happens, Hariri will have to widen his coalition yet further.
Hezbollah is likely to remain the largest single party in parliament.
European observers have been monitoring the election, while American 'observers' (the Ambassador) tried to influence the result.
Hezbollah is likely to remain the largest single party in parliament.
The shiite seats are divided for amal and hizbollah.
Tayyar Mustaqbal is by far the largest in the new parliement.
Posted by
Anonymous |
9:17 am
There are also allegations of vote buying by Hariri
Posted by
Anonymous |
2:49 pm
I dont know if these stories are true or part of the electoral overbid,nevertheless,there is no perfect democracy but far better than the 99 % re-elections imposed against the dignity of the syrian people.
Posted by
Anonymous |
7:12 pm
Beirut: Hariri won 9 seats by default because he faced no other competitors - thats a 100% election!
Hariri is known to have given money to every Lebanese media outlet (except for one). And there are allegations that he personally refunded the deposits of the candidates who mysteriously dropped out in Beirut.
If he also bought people's votes that's just one stage further.
Posted by
sasa |
7:43 pm
"Tayyar Mustaqbal is by far the largest in the new parliament."
Hariri's 'Mustaqbal' is an alliance - a collection of diverse parties like Jumblatt's Progressive Socialist Party, some right-wing Christian parties, as well as some Hezbollah candidates. Mustaqbal isn't a party in itself.
On the other hand Hezbollah is a single party - and it remains the largest single party in parliament.
Posted by
sasa |
7:46 pm
Beirut: Hariri won 9 seats by default because he faced no other competitors - thats a 100% election!
This is because of the Ghazi Kanaan 2000 law.
The same thing happened in the south.
Most of the christian deputies are elected with moslem votes.
The next parliement will work to change this ugly Baathist inheritance with european support.
PSP and Leb forces are the allies of Hariri and not part of Mustaqbal=15 to 20 seats.
Mustaqbal is non sectarian political entity .It's the largest political entity in Lebanon.With a number of seats between 50 and 60.
The Iranian Hizbollah can claim only for 12 to 14 seats or 10 % of the parliement seats .
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:17 am
And the hizbollahi elected in hariri list in Beirut ,it's not more than political formal ending.
In exchange of a seat for Bahia Hariri in the south.
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:20 am
Hareri will soon find out that Lebanon problems are Lebanese not Syrian made and that no matter how much the west promises still Syria sorounds Lebanon and can make tourism trafic Air only rout so sooner or latter the Lebanese will find out how much they depend on Syria,i wounder if Larsen did not threten the president of Syria in the name of the United states that if the oposition does not win, the united nation will find Syria in default claiming that Syrian itelegence officers helped the anti oposition camp,as you can not call Aoun pro Syria ,but he seems definetly anti coruption and family based politics . naim
Posted by
Anonymous |
3:39 am
Sasa,
A little contribution to your site, here are the blocs:
Yellow bloc
--------------
Berri 15
Hezbollah 14
Direct Allies 6
_______________Total Yellow 35
Blue bloc
-------------
Hariri 36
Direct Allies 2
Jumblatt 15
Lebanese Forces 6
Gemayel Kataeb 3
Qornet Shehwan 5
Tripoli Gathering 5
_______________Total Blue 72
Orange bloc
---------------
Aoun 14
Direct Allies 7
_______________Total Orange 21
Grand Total 128
Cheers
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:40 am
Beirut: Hariri won 9 seats by default because he faced no other competitors - thats a 100% election!
This is because of the Ghazi Kanaan 2000 law.
The same thing happened in the south.
Most of the christian deputies are elected with moslem votes.
The next parliement will work to change this ugly Baathist inheritance with european support.
No, it's much more simple than that - it's because all of Hariri's competitors mysteriously dropped out! More on that soon...
Posted by
sasa |
5:37 pm
Mustaqbal is non sectarian political entity .It's the largest political entity in Lebanon.With a number of seats between 50 and 60.
Mustaqbal is a coalition, an umbrella, it is not 'an entity' or a party. It's just the same as the Hizbollah/Amal 'list'.
As such, Hizbollah is still the largest single party. But Mustaqbal is the largest coalition.
Posted by
sasa |
5:42 pm