Saad al-Hariri wins the Lebanese elections in the north; Karami criticizes Mufti, Sfeir commends Aoun
Lebanon, Politics, 6/20/2005

Al-Mustaqbal ( future) trend lead by Saad al-Hariri and its allies in the north of Lebanon achieved great victory against its rivals, opening the door before a new political equilibrium in the country.

However, the results will open the door wide before a controversy of a different type in that sectarian concentration of voting opens the door before a critical phase which had manifested itself in the current elections in all parts of Lebanon.

The coalition led by Hariri promised to make what it called comprehensive change after winning the majority in the first parliamentary elections taking place in Lebanon since 30 years without the existence of the Syrian forces. The preliminary results of these elections indicate that the Lebanese parliament might witness for the first time since the civil war a majority opposing Damascus.

Parliament member Saad Eddine al-Hariri announced that his alliance in the north's elections which took place on Sunday has won, stressing that by that he guarantees a majority at the parliament. The son of the late Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri said that the almost final results show that the Lebanese people made their wish known and that they want change.

For his part, Butrous Harb, the Christian candidate to the lists supported by Saad al-Hariri said that these lists will achieve great victory.

News reports indicated that al-Hariri alliance is inclined towards winning the elections at the majority of 21 of the seats it needs to ensure parliamentary majority out of 28 seats which were under rivalry between the lists of the opposition supported by al-Hariri, Qernet Shahwan meeting and the Lebanese Forces against lists supported by the former Lebanese army leader Michael Aoun who is allied with the former minister of the Interior Suleiman Franjieh and symbols close to Syria.

By this result, al-Hariri bloc has won 72 seats, which are a total majority, while Aoun and his allies got 21 seat, a Shiite coalition supporting Syria between Hizbullah and Amal Movement got 35 seats. The results allow the coalition to undertake two steps: the first is to nominate the prime minister and form the government, and the second is a quick enacting of the Amnesty decision which gets Samir Jajaa out of prison as soon as possible.

There is a great inclination by the main forces in this coalition to nominate Nabih Berri as the speaker of parliament for a new term of office in Lebanon. Nevertheless, other issues relating to the file of the President, main political and economic subjects, are to be settled later.

As from Sunday midnight, the new term of office for the Lebanese parliament starts, while the current government is considered as resigned. The eldest parliament member at the Lebanese parliament, Edmond Naem, is expected to invite the general commission of the parliament to meet with the current week in order to elect the speaker of the parliament and his two deputies and the two secretaries and three commissioners. Upon achieving this mission, the President of the Republic, Emil Lahoud, together with the speaker of the parliament, will set the date for obligatory parliamentary consultations in order to nominate the prime minister to form the new government.


In the reaction to the results, Parliamentarian Walid Junblat said that Aoun and Franjieh are from the "hated past of Lebanon" which should be removed and that "al-Mustaqbal has achieved victory and that it represents the alliance of al-Mustaqbal trend, the socialist progressive party, " Qernet Shehwan,"" the Hizbullah party" " the Amal movement,"" the Lebanese Forces." An alliance which will work for the implementation of the Taif accord and protecting the Lebanese resistance, the political reforms and partnership, while the looser represents a bad and ailing minority.

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese elections make for strange alliances   (6/17/2005)
  Lahoud: Just peace is the only solution according to UN resolutions   (6/17/2005)
  Lahoud: No peace without implementing UN resolutions   (6/16/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search