November 22, 2008
Lebanese vote for anti-Syria alliance
Election's final stage looks to support son of assassinated prime minister, securing a majority in parliament
BEIRUT, Lebanon - An anti-Syrian alliance led by the son of assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri appeared to have swept the final round of Lebanon's legislative elections yesterday, securing a majority in the new parliament.
In the first Lebanese election held in 30 years without the shadow of civil war or Syrian military domination, Saad Hariri's coalition appeared to have won at least 65 of parliament's 128 seats. With a majority, Hariri's alliance would be expected to try to remove the last vestiges of Syrian influence over Lebanon. Its first priorities would be to name a new cabinet and force out the Syrian-backed Lebanese president, Emile Lahoud.
Hariri's coalition claimed victory last night in the last round of balloting, held in northern Lebanon. The alliance needed to win 21 of the 28 contested seats to secure a majority in parliament. According to preliminary results, the Hariri-led opposition had won at least 25 seats. Final results are expected today.
"We have triumphed in the north," Walid Jumblatt, another opposition leader, told Lebanese TV, adding that Syria's allies in the new parliament will be "nothing but a bad minority."
The opposition gained momentum after the Feb. 14 assassination of Rafik Hariri, which many Lebanese blamed on Syria and its allies in the Lebanese government. Hariri's killing prompted a wave of popular protests and international pressure that forced Syria to withdraw thousands of troops from Lebanon after a 29-year presence. But Syria still exerts influence through its political allies and supporters in the Lebanese security services.
Saad Hariri's alliance was expected to win an even larger majority until last week, when Michel Aoun, a former army commander, scored a surprise victory. Aoun, who returned to Lebanon last month after 15 years in exile for opposing Syria, shook the country's political landscape, which had been divided between pro- and anti-Syrian factions. The general, who fought and lost a war with Syrian troops in Lebanon, at first flirted with Hariri's alliance, but ended up joining forces with pro-Syrian groups.
Of 100 seats that were decided in three previous rounds of voting, Hariri's coalition had won 44, Aoun and his allies captured 21, and two pro-Syrian Shia parties secured 35.
In yesterday's race, Hariri's coalition faced an alliance of Aoun's party and pro-Syrian Christian politicians. In his campaign, Aoun pledged to combat corruption and to end political rule by the family dynasties that dominate Lebanon. He also promised an investigation into government spending and contract awards, which have created a $30 billion national debt.
By controlling a majority in parliament, Hariri, 35, would become a leading candidate for prime minister, even though he would be the youngest and least politically experienced premier in the country's history.
In Lebanon, parliament appoints the country's three top officials: the president, who must be a Maronite Christian; the prime minister, who must be a Sunni Muslim; and the speaker of parliament, who must be a Shia Muslim. Hariri is a Sunni, which makes him eligible to become premier.
Political dynasties are the norm in Lebanon, with leaders usually passing their positions to their eldest sons. But Rafik Hariri was a self-made billionaire who challenged that system and rose to power by using his wealth to finance charities and the education of thousands of Lebanese students. He expressed disdain for those who inherited their political positions.
Saad Hariri used his father's killing as a theme throughout the campaign. On buildings and billboards across Lebanon, there were posters of the slain Hariri looming over his son.
Some Lebanese stayed away from the polls because they want an end to the sectarian system that has governed Lebanon since its independence in 1943. When the structure was put in place, Christians were a slight majority. Parliament's seats are equally divided among Christians and Muslims, even though Christians now make up only about a third of the population.
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