President Emile Lahoud, whose mandate will expire on November 24, will leave office after he has served all of a mandate which includes a controversially extended three-year term since 2004. Described by most of his opponents as 'Syria's ruler in Lebanon or puppet,' Lahoud has stood firm in the face of the anti-Syrian ruling majority, insisting on serving his term 'up to the final minute.'Lahoud was not only attacked by local opponents but - since the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, blamed on Lahoud's close allies, the Syrians - was snubbed by most foreign officials, notably the Americans, French, British and Germans.
Lahoud was renowned for his strong backing of the resistance - the Shiite Lebanese militant movement, Hezbollah. Posters were erected near the southern suburbs of Beirut, Hezbollah's hotbed, proclaiming 'in our term we managed to defeat Israel.'