Economic stagnation and the general disappointment over the devastating war in neighbouring Syria leading to a massive influx of refugees into Lebanon might have propelled them against the prime minister, the AP report said.
Advertisement
Hezbollah and its political allies won just over half the seats in Lebanon’s parliamentary election, unofficial results showed, underlining Tehran’s growing regional clout.
The election marks the first vote under the new proportional system, which replaced the structure where the winning party would carry all the seats in a particular district.
Official results are not expected until Monday or Tuesday.
Nasrallah said his party’s gains would give “protection” to the group and declared “mission accomplished” after weeks of campaigning.
Hariri lost to Hezbollah and Amal-backed Sunni candidates in his party’s strongholds of Beirut, Saida and Tripoli.
The right-leaning minister also said that Israel would hold Lebanon responsible for any possible Hezbollah action that would originate from its territory.
Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk announced the turnout figure at a news conference shortly after midnight and appeared to blame it on the new electoral law agreed past year. Lebanon’s last parliamentary elections took place in 2009, and new elections were set for 2013, but MP’s postponed their elections due to their inability to come to terms over new election rules.
As results unfolded, Hariri said he extends his hand to all political groups who care about preserving Lebanon’s stability.
“Hariri’s loss would be the distinguishing mark of those elections, which can have penalties on the battle to kind a brand new authorities”, the pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar day by day wrote earlier on Monday.
Lebanon is awaiting official results of the country’s first parliamentary elections in nearly a decade, a poll that saw a significantly lower turnout than previous general elections.
An anti-Hezbollah alliance led by Hariri and backed by Saudi Arabia won a majority in parliament in 2009.
The Iran-backed “Party of God” is expected to have made marginal gains in Lebanon’s first parliamentary elections for nine years, but has been boosted by the poor showing of its main rival, the Future Movement.
This suggests a potential coalition government formed by the Hezbollah-Amal coalition and the Free Patriotic Movement.
Following the conclusion of a 15-year civil war in 1989, the Taif Accord requires that Lebanon’s president is a Maronite Christian, its prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and parliament’s speaker a Shia Muslim.
Despite the emergence of independent groups participating in the vote on anti-establishment platforms, some Lebanese expressed deep scepticism their efforts would succeed.
Advertisement
The Syrians and Iranians are beaming, no doubt, but they probably still have to deal with Hariri, who will likely remain prime minister, because under the constitution the PM doesn’t need to control a large bloc in parliament in order to hold the top office.
