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| Lebanon confirms Hariri election win | Lebanon confirms Hariri election win |
| (2 days later) | |
| Official results released a day after Lebanon's hotly-contested parliamentary election have confirmed the pro-Western coalition has held on to its majority. | Official results released a day after Lebanon's hotly-contested parliamentary election have confirmed the pro-Western coalition has held on to its majority. |
| Interior Minister Ziad Baroud confirmed the 14 March coalition of Saad Hariri had won 71 seats in the 128-member body, one more than four years ago. | Interior Minister Ziad Baroud confirmed the 14 March coalition of Saad Hariri had won 71 seats in the 128-member body, one more than four years ago. |
| Hassan Nasrallah, head of militant movement Hezbollah, said he accepted the outcome. | Hassan Nasrallah, head of militant movement Hezbollah, said he accepted the outcome. |
| US President Barack Obama praised the election and welcomed the result. | US President Barack Obama praised the election and welcomed the result. |
| Mr Baroud said voting passed off satisfactorily, despite some organisational problems. | Mr Baroud said voting passed off satisfactorily, despite some organisational problems. |
| Security has been tightened and political leaders appealed for calm throughout Lebanon, which last year witnessed pitched battles between rival factions. | Security has been tightened and political leaders appealed for calm throughout Lebanon, which last year witnessed pitched battles between rival factions. |
| A possible victory for href="/2/hi/middle_east/4314423.stm">Hezbollah, which is supported by Syria and Iran, had caused jitters among Western governments, and the US was threatening to withdraw its aid package to Lebanon. | |
| But Hassan Nasrallah said he accepted the outcome - in which the Hezbollah-led bloc won 58 seats. | But Hassan Nasrallah said he accepted the outcome - in which the Hezbollah-led bloc won 58 seats. |
| "I would like to congratulate all those who won, those in the majority and those in the opposition," he said. | "I would like to congratulate all those who won, those in the majority and those in the opposition," he said. |
| Mr Obama said in a statement: "It is our sincere hope that the next government will continue along the path towards building a sovereign, independent and stable Lebanon." | Mr Obama said in a statement: "It is our sincere hope that the next government will continue along the path towards building a sovereign, independent and stable Lebanon." |
| LEBANON ELECTIONS KEY FACTS 128-seat, divided along sectarian and communal lines - 64 for Muslims and 64 for ChristiansMPs elected for four-year termsVoting age 21 yearsMain factions- 14 March coalition: Future (Sunni); Progressive Socialists (Druze); Lebanese Forces (Maronite); Phalange (Maronite)- Opposition list: Hezbollah (Shia); Amal (Shia); Free Patriotic Movement (Maronite) href="/2/hi/middle_east/8087983.stm">Crowds turn out for Lebanon vote href="/2/hi/americas/8087683.stm">In pictures: Lebanon votes href="/2/hi/middle_east/8087091.stm">Christians - vote kingmakers href="/2/hi/middle_east/8079481.stm">Q&A: Lebanese elections explained href="/2/hi/middle_east/8088916.stm">Lebanese voters' poll reaction | |
| He went on the warn: "Government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion." | He went on the warn: "Government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion." |
| The turnout was 54%, Mr Baroud said, the highest percentage among Lebanon's three million voters since the 1975-91 civil war. | The turnout was 54%, Mr Baroud said, the highest percentage among Lebanon's three million voters since the 1975-91 civil war. |
| The campaign was marred by mud-slinging and accusations that large numbers of expatriate Lebanese were flown home for free to cast votes. | The campaign was marred by mud-slinging and accusations that large numbers of expatriate Lebanese were flown home for free to cast votes. |
| But former US President Jimmy Carter, who led a team of international observers, said he was encouraged by the way the election had been conducted and the response of politicians from all sides. | But former US President Jimmy Carter, who led a team of international observers, said he was encouraged by the way the election had been conducted and the response of politicians from all sides. |
| "The most important thing is to commend the people of Lebanon and the election authorities for a successful demonstration of the right of the people to express their will. They did it legally and properly, and one of the tests of a successful election is a rapid acceptance of the results," Mr Carter said. | "The most important thing is to commend the people of Lebanon and the election authorities for a successful demonstration of the right of the people to express their will. They did it legally and properly, and one of the tests of a successful election is a rapid acceptance of the results," Mr Carter said. |
| href="/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/791071.stm">Lebanon is a country of deeply-fragmented religious sects, and this election broadly pitted Shia Muslim supporters of Hezbollah against Sunni Muslims and Druze supporting the 14 March coalition. | |
| The crucial electoral showdown had been between Christian rivals, who although they make up only one-third of the population are href="/2/hi/middle_east/8079481.stm">constitutionally guaranteed an equal half share of parliamentary seats. | |
| The influential href="/2/hi/middle_east/6932786.stm">Christian Maronite community was split between established Western-orientated factions and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) of former army chief Michel Aoun, which joined the pro-Syria faction in 2006. | |
| As predicted, Hezbollah and its smaller Shia ally Amal swept the vote in Lebanon's mainly Shia areas, but the FPM lost in the key districts of Zahleh and Beirut First. | As predicted, Hezbollah and its smaller Shia ally Amal swept the vote in Lebanon's mainly Shia areas, but the FPM lost in the key districts of Zahleh and Beirut First. |
| Deadlock | Deadlock |
| After years of Syrian domination of its small neighbour, underpinned by a large military presence, the pro-Western bloc was swept to power in 2005, following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bombing in Beirut. | After years of Syrian domination of its small neighbour, underpinned by a large military presence, the pro-Western bloc was swept to power in 2005, following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bombing in Beirut. |
| Hariri: 'The biggest victor is Lebanon' | Hariri: 'The biggest victor is Lebanon' |
| Popular discontent after that attack had forced Syria to withdraw its troops amid accusations of its involvement in the killing. The government in Damascus has strongly denied the claims. | Popular discontent after that attack had forced Syria to withdraw its troops amid accusations of its involvement in the killing. The government in Damascus has strongly denied the claims. |
| A post-2005 unity coalition collapsed in November 2006, with the resignation of all six of its pro-Syrian ministers, stripping it of representation by Lebanon's largest confessional group, the Shia Muslims. | A post-2005 unity coalition collapsed in November 2006, with the resignation of all six of its pro-Syrian ministers, stripping it of representation by Lebanon's largest confessional group, the Shia Muslims. |
| The following year parliament became deadlocked over filling the vacant presidency - and a unity government was only re-formed after the country teetered on the brink of full-scale civil war in May 2008. | The following year parliament became deadlocked over filling the vacant presidency - and a unity government was only re-formed after the country teetered on the brink of full-scale civil war in May 2008. |
| Analysts say another fragile unity government is likely from this result. | Analysts say another fragile unity government is likely from this result. |
| A major division looks set to remain over Hezbollah's powerful guerrilla army, which pro-Western elements accuse of disrupting Lebanese stability but which Hezbollah supporters say is vital to resist the threat from Israel. | A major division looks set to remain over Hezbollah's powerful guerrilla army, which pro-Western elements accuse of disrupting Lebanese stability but which Hezbollah supporters say is vital to resist the threat from Israel. |
| Hezbollah will demand that it retain a veto-wielding share of cabinet seats which it secured in last year's unity talks. | Hezbollah will demand that it retain a veto-wielding share of cabinet seats which it secured in last year's unity talks. |