Lebanon leaders set rancor aside for local elections - Feature

Weedah Hamzah

Beirut - Rival politicians in Lebanon had set their differences aside and reached a consensus in many areas, the first round of the country's municipal elections, which began at the weekend, showed.

Lebanese voters will continue to cast their ballots over three Sundays in May, during which some 963 local councils and nearly 2,800 mayors are due to be elected.

Sunday's elections were described by many observers as "consensus elections" since in many areas political parties were able to reach an agreement together on a list of candidates.

Lebanon's 4-million-strong population is divided between Christians, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims, with around a third each, as well as a number of other smaller religious groups.

The political system decrees that the Lebanese president be a Christian Maronite, the house speaker a Shiite Muslim and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim.

The lists put to the vote on Sunday were therefore a good reflection of Lebanon's spirit of consensus, since they included representatives of all the major religious communities and parties.

Relations were also seen to have improved between the western- backed majority headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the Syrian and Iranian backed Hezbollah opposition.

"Mainly we saw consensual lists among the rival political parties in most towns and villages," political analyst George Alam said.

"I think the political leaders either from the majority or the opposition wanted to show the Lebanese that there is a kind of unity over some political issues in the country and the Lebanese national unity government is here to work for the people's need," Alam said.

After securing 71 of parliament's 128 seats in June elections last year, it was not until November 9 that Hariri managed to form a national unity government following months of tough negotiations with his Hezbollah-led rivals.

The line-up includes 15 ministers from Hariri's parliamentary bloc, 10 from the opposition alliance and five nominated by Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

The candidates on the lists for the municipal elections were intended to stay in line with the Lebanese system and respect the delicate Christian-Muslim power-sharing agenda that ended the 1975-1990 civil war.

The mayors and councilors which are elected by voters every six years have no legislative powers, but deal with day-to-day affairs such as education.

President Michel Suleiman on Monday praised the interior and defense ministries for guaranteeing safe polls.

But despite the so-called consensual lists, in some areas such as the Jbeil region, north of Beirut, a consensus could not be reached and a heated race took place between followers of Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun and others loyal to Christian leader Samir Geagea, who is backed by the majority.

According to initial results issued on Monday, the list of the western-backed majority was victorious in Jbeil.

But in the Baabda region, northeast of Beirut, the list backed by Aoun, managed to squeak to victory over others backed by the majority.

Around 466,000 of 790,000 voters in the Mount Lebanon district cast their ballots on Sunday, according to Interior Minister Ziad Baroud.

The final results were to be announced later on Monday.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/321799,lebanon-leaders-set-rancor-aside-for-local-elections--feature.html.