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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Auon scores major upset in Lebanese polls
2005-06-13
More on the story posted by Fred; different source; EFL.
BEIRUT - Anti-Syrian Christian leader Michel Aoun, who returned from 14 years' exile only five weeks ago, appeared poised to hand other anti-Syrian opposition groups a surprising defeat in Lebanese parliamentary elections, denying them the majority they had hoped to muster in their drive to end Syria's political control. A senior opposition leader, Walid Jumblatt, conceded late Sunday that the opposition had suffered losses, as did several other main opposition candidates.
Sounds like they'll have to make a deal.
With no official results expected before at least midday Monday, preliminary results and campaign estimates, as well as polls by TV stations, showed Aoun and his allies leading or winning in several districts in Mount Lebanon and in the eastern Bekaa Valley. In some areas, his allies were already celebrating with fireworks. A strong showing by Aoun, whose Free Patriotic Movement has waged an anti-corruption campaign, could make him a key player in the fight over Syrian control in the new Parliament.

The fiercely contested vote on Sunday in central and eastern regions of the county is deciding nearly half the legislative seats up for grabs in Lebanon's four-stage elections.

Going into Sunday's race, the opposition had the 19 seats it gained in the first stage of the elections held in Beirut May 29, and needed another 46 to win a majority in the 128-member legislature. But in races that were already clear among the 58 seats contested Sunday, Aoun appeared to have clinched at least 14 seats, at least temporarily thwarting the opposition's quest for a majority. By early Monday, many of the races had yet to be decided, but 10 seats in a region in the northern part of the Bekaa were expected to go to a ticket backed by the pro-Syrian Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah. Hezbollah and its allies swept the 23 seats at stake in southern Lebanon in the second round on June 6.

The opposition, however, still has a chance to gain the parliamentary majority when the final stage of the elections is held in the north on June 19, when 28 seats are up for grabs.

Jumblatt, speaking by telephone to Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. television, said Aoun, who broke opposition ranks and challenged his former allies with the help of pro-Syrian groups, was winning in contested constituencies. Jumblatt accused Aoun, a former military commander and fierce anti-Syrian who returned May 7 from exile in France, of being brought in by Damascus to undermine the opposition and claimed he was promoting extremism. Aoun fought and lost a 1989 "war of liberation" against Syrian forces that led to his exile. "Michel Aoun is a small (Syrian) tool," Jumblatt said. "True he succeeded, I concede that."
He'd be a curious tool, but stranger things have happened.
In his first comments late Sunday, Aoun said he was willing to talk with other factions in the new parliament and, if there were no agreement, he and his allies would be in opposition "carrying out our duties."

Unofficial turnout tallied by media and various campaigns put the turnout at a relatively high 54 percent in Mount Lebanon and 49 percent in the Bekaa. About 1.2 million men and women over 21 were eligible to vote in Sunday's round. About 100 candidates competed for Mount Lebanon's 35 seats, allocated to different sects according to Lebanon's power-sharing political system. In the eastern Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border, 119 people were competing for the region's 23 seats.
Posted by:Steve White

#4  BWAHAHAHHAHHAAAAAA!!!

You just have to love the conventional wisdom keeping their fingers on the pulse of world opinion. Geez, first its the voter turn out in Iraq and now we have this. Can't those people get it right? They are supposed to be a bunch of oppression loving xenophobes.

Dang, I wonder how this is going to play over in Foggy Bottom at the Lebanese desk. Boy he is going to have hell to pay at the club today, he told the press that the election was in the bag for the jihadists.
Posted by: TheSockPuppetofDoom   2005-06-13 11:11  

#3  Well hell. The way the washington post told it, Syria and Hamas had this thing tied up. Another bad call from people who don't really believe in freedom.
Posted by: bigjim-ky   2005-06-13 09:56  

#2  I dont trust Aoun. One bit.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2005-06-13 09:16  

#1  senior opposition leader, Walid Jumblatt, conceded late Sunday that the opposition had suffered losses
Gee, Wally...you're a loser.
/s/
the Beav
Posted by: Spot   2005-06-13 08:36  

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