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| Opposition wins key Lebanese poll | Opposition wins key Lebanese poll |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| An opposition candidate has defeated a government-backed rival in a tense by-election near Lebanon's capital Beirut, the interior ministry says. | An opposition candidate has defeated a government-backed rival in a tense by-election near Lebanon's capital Beirut, the interior ministry says. |
| The poll is being seen as a key battle for the Christian leadership, ahead of presidential elections next month. | The poll is being seen as a key battle for the Christian leadership, ahead of presidential elections next month. |
| Opposition leader Michel Aoun acclaimed victory for his candidate over rival Amin Gemayel, who has alleged fraud. | Opposition leader Michel Aoun acclaimed victory for his candidate over rival Amin Gemayel, who has alleged fraud. |
| Overnight supporters of the two sides were separated by tanks and hundreds of troops. | Overnight supporters of the two sides were separated by tanks and hundreds of troops. |
| The election was one of two being contested to find replacements for two murdered anti-Syrian MPs. | The election was one of two being contested to find replacements for two murdered anti-Syrian MPs. |
| Christian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel was shot dead in November, and Sunni Muslim lawmaker Walid Eido was killed in a Beirut car bomb in June. | Christian cabinet minister Pierre Gemayel was shot dead in November, and Sunni Muslim lawmaker Walid Eido was killed in a Beirut car bomb in June. |
| The vote to replace Mr Eido in mainly Sunni West Beirut was won easily by pro-government candidate Mohammad Amin Itani, as expected. | The vote to replace Mr Eido in mainly Sunni West Beirut was won easily by pro-government candidate Mohammad Amin Itani, as expected. |
| Intense rivalry | Intense rivalry |
| The headline contest, however, was in the deeply divided Maronite Christian heartland of Metn. | The headline contest, however, was in the deeply divided Maronite Christian heartland of Metn. |
| Officials said Camille Khoury, of Mr Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, had won by just over 400 votes, or about 0.5% of the vote. | Officials said Camille Khoury, of Mr Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, had won by just over 400 votes, or about 0.5% of the vote. |
| He defeated Amin Gemayel, a former president, leader of the Phalange Party, and father of the assassinated MP whose seat was up for grabs. | He defeated Amin Gemayel, a former president, leader of the Phalange Party, and father of the assassinated MP whose seat was up for grabs. |
| CHRISTIAN RIVALRY Polls raise stakes | CHRISTIAN RIVALRY Polls raise stakes |
| Before the result was announced, Mr Gemayel alleged voting irregularities and demanded a re-run in one district. | Before the result was announced, Mr Gemayel alleged voting irregularities and demanded a re-run in one district. |
| The contest reflects the bitter struggle between the Western-backed government and the opposition alliance, which includes both Mr Aoun and Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim group backed by Syria. | The contest reflects the bitter struggle between the Western-backed government and the opposition alliance, which includes both Mr Aoun and Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim group backed by Syria. |
| Mr Aoun and Mr Gemayel are seen as frontrunners in next month's race to succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud. | Mr Aoun and Mr Gemayel are seen as frontrunners in next month's race to succeed pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud. |
| Under Lebanon's sectarian political system, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, and is elected by parliament. | Under Lebanon's sectarian political system, the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, and is elected by parliament. |
| The rivalry between the two political veterans has intensified amid a wider conflict between Lebanon's pro- and anti-Syrian groups. | The rivalry between the two political veterans has intensified amid a wider conflict between Lebanon's pro- and anti-Syrian groups. |
| Call for calm | Call for calm |
| Mr Gemayel and his allies accuse Syria of orchestrating the shooting of his son last November and other anti-Syrian figures including Mr Eido. | Mr Gemayel and his allies accuse Syria of orchestrating the shooting of his son last November and other anti-Syrian figures including Mr Eido. |
| Mr Aoun is a former military leader who was once a vocal critic of Syria and won a vast majority of the Christian vote in polls in 2005. | Mr Aoun is a former military leader who was once a vocal critic of Syria and won a vast majority of the Christian vote in polls in 2005. |
| But support for the FPM slipped after Mr Aoun unexpectedly allied himself to the pro-Syria opposition movement Hezbollah. | But support for the FPM slipped after Mr Aoun unexpectedly allied himself to the pro-Syria opposition movement Hezbollah. |
| LEBANESE BY-ELECTIONS Metn: Bitterly opposed rivals in a Christian heartland fight to replace MP Pierre Gemayel (above right), shot dead in November. Gen Michel Aoun's candidate winsWest Beirut: Ruling coalition candidate has easy win in a mainly Sunni area where MP Walid Eido (left) was killed by a bomb in June In pictures: Lebanese vote class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7058&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| Turnout was high in Sunday's vote. | Turnout was high in Sunday's vote. |
| There were clashes between the rival Christian factions in the run-up to the vote, and reports of some fights after polls closed being broken up by police. | There were clashes between the rival Christian factions in the run-up to the vote, and reports of some fights after polls closed being broken up by police. |
| Both leaders called for calm. | Both leaders called for calm. |
| "We hope that everything goes quietly tonight," said Mr Aoun. | "We hope that everything goes quietly tonight," said Mr Aoun. |
| Deep problems | Deep problems |
| Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the largely orderly vote had been a civilised response to political assassination. | Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the largely orderly vote had been a civilised response to political assassination. |
| Pierre Gemayel and Walid Eido were the latest in a growing line of prominent anti-Syrians to be killed on the streets of Beirut. | Pierre Gemayel and Walid Eido were the latest in a growing line of prominent anti-Syrians to be killed on the streets of Beirut. |
| The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 drew widespread international condemnation, after which Syrian troops withdrew, after many years in Lebanon. | The assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 drew widespread international condemnation, after which Syrian troops withdrew, after many years in Lebanon. |
| Syria has been accused of involvement in the attack - a claim it rejects. | Syria has been accused of involvement in the attack - a claim it rejects. |
| Lebanon is a divided country facing its biggest political crisis in years, and these by-election results will not solve the country's deeper problems, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Beirut. | Lebanon is a divided country facing its biggest political crisis in years, and these by-election results will not solve the country's deeper problems, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Beirut. |
| In fact they may only raise more questions, he says. | In fact they may only raise more questions, he says. |
| President Lahoud, who is allied with the Hezbollah-led opposition, has not given the polls his blessing, and parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri has said he will not recognise the results. | President Lahoud, who is allied with the Hezbollah-led opposition, has not given the polls his blessing, and parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri has said he will not recognise the results. |