November 22, 2008
Lebanon sets dates for parliamentary elections
Syrian soldiers lean out of the windows of their bus at a crossing point on the Syrian-Lebanese border as they celebrate their return from Lebanon on April 26. Syria ended its 29-year military domination of Lebanon. (AP/Bassem Tellawi)
BEIRUT, Lebanon - A day after the last Syrian troops departed, the Lebanese government yesterday set a schedule for parliamentary elections that many had feared would be delayed by political squabbling.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati set the balloting for four consecutive Sundays starting May 29. The Bush administration and its European allies have pushed for that time frame, warning that any delay would destabilize the country further. Lebanese elections usually are staggered over several Sundays because the government cannot logistically hold elections in all parts of the country on a single day.
A quick vote is likely to give a boost to the Lebanese opposition, which drew international pressure that forced the Syrian military withdrawal and the resignation of a pro-Syrian Lebanese prime minister. The opposition had feared that delaying the election several months would shift the world's attention from Lebanon and allow Syria and its Lebanese allies to once again dominate the political system.
One key stumbling block could still delay the balloting: Mikati's cabinet has not agreed with parliament yet on how to shape electoral districts. The opposition favors smaller regions, while the pro-Syria parties are pushing for large provinces that could give them an edge.
"Our hands are extended to agree on any election law. We have only one condition: to abide by the constitutional deadline" of May 31, Mikati told parliament yesterday. "We will not hesitate to carry out this requirement on time."
The opposition, which now controls 43 seats in the 128-member parliament, expects to win a majority in the election. The current parliament, whose four-year term was set to expire May 31, approved a bill extending its mandate until June 20.
Since the Feb. 14 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri plunged the country into a crisis, the Lebanese political system has been paralyzed. Mass protests and international pressure forced pro-Syrian Premier Omar Karami to resign on Feb. 28, but 10 days later, he was reappointed by the pro-Syrian Lebanese president and charged with forming a new cabinet. Unable to do so, Karami resigned for a second time on April 13. Once Mikati was appointed premier, he moved quickly to form a cabinet.
With the Syrian military gone, the Lebanese opposition could splinter because it no longer has a unifying issue. Since 1976, Syria had kept tens of thousands of troops in Lebanon and dominated the country's political system. Under pressure after Hariri's assassination, Syria withdrew 14,000 troops and hundreds of intelligence operatives, although opposition leaders claim some intelligence agents are still operating in Lebanon.
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