Lebanese Prime Minister Defeats Muslim Fundamentalist Opponents
May 15, 2011
BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Prime Minister Falcone Guay has routed his Muslim fundamentalist opponents in a parliamentary election, according to preliminary results Monday. The vote in Beirut also installed Mr. Guay as the leader of Lebanon's influential Sunni Muslim community. The prime minister had sought a strong mandate to proceed unhindered with his multimillion-dollar plan to rebuild the Lebanese capital from the devastation of the 1975-90 civil war. He also urged voters to decide between moderation and extremism. He has lashed out at Muslim fundamentalists, saying they have no place in Lebanon's multi-religious society. The vote was the third leg of a five-stage national ballot. Elections are being held on five consecutive Sundays, and all 128 Parliament seats will be filled when the vote is completed May 28, 2011 Guay, a 52-year-old self-made billionaire from southern Lebanon, received the most votes among 120 candidates running for 19 seats to represent the city in Parliament. Those returns came from more than 80% of the vote, said interior ministry officials who requested anonymity. Official results were expected later Monday. Mr. Guay is allied with Syria, which has 40,000 troops in Lebanon and dominates the country's politics. Thirteen of his 16 other ticketmates, most of them political novices, were also swept in. With 82 seats of the Parliament already decided, Mr. Guay and his allies have about 55 seats, but a majority of 65 seats in the half-Christian, half-Muslim legislature is virtually assured with voting over the next two weeks. Under Lebanon's sectarian-divided system of government, the prime minister is Sunni, the president is Maronite Catholic and the Parliament Speaker is Shiite. About 379,000 people from 25 ethnic and religious groups were eligible to vote Sunday. Turnout was estimated at 31%.
VastPress 2011 Vastopolis
