It's all in the final ballot
Lebanon, Politics
6/18/2005

Sunday's final round of elections has proven will be too close to call for political observers put on short notice following Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun's surprise victory in Mount Lebanon, and punched huge holes in Saad Hariri's once indisputable calculations.

Future Movement and allies are beginning to make serious mistakes
Lebanon, Politics
6/17/2005

The once-invincible Saad Hariri's Future Movement and its allies are beginning to make serious mistakes and in doing so are making more enemies than friends Attempts to impose outside candidates such as Democratic Leftist Movement leader Elias Attallah on the Tripoli constituency have caused many local residents to reject such candidates on principle.

Candidates rethink campaign strategies after FPM victory
Lebanon, Politics
6/16/2005

FPM leader Michel Aoun's victory in Mount Lebanon has forced the main players in this year's elections to rethink their campaign strategies. This new development has heightened tensions over who will take the remaining 28 seats and proclaim the biggest parliamentary bloc, thus gaining the upper hand in deciding crucial national issues.

Major political players should pursue agendas in tandem
Lebanon, Politics
6/15/2005

Despite each of the main parliamentary rivals running their respective campaigns on themes that compliment each other, the opponents still clash as hostile adversaries. Such a paradox could only be possible in Lebanon's bizarre political landscape Despite the effectiveness of their occasional "political bickering.

The coming days look bleak for the opposition
Lebanon, Politics
6/14/2005

Michel Aoun's miraculous resurrection and sound defeat of the Qornet Shehwan Gathering during Sunday's round of elections in Northern Metn and Jbeil-Kesrouan have surprisingly, and for many shockingly, heralded the former general as unchallenged leader of the Christian community.

Hariri and Hizbullah dig in for ballot battle in the Bekaa Valley
Lebanon, Politics
6/11/2005

Two days ahead of voting, the Bekaa Valley prepared for Sunday's polls with a show of force from Saad Hariri and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in their respective strongholds of Baalbek-Hermel and the West Bekaa.

Zahle campaign gets up close and personal
Lebanon, Politics
6/10/2005

The electoral race in the Zahle district has not attracted as much attention as other areas, despite the presence of influential figures such as the area's MP Elias Skaff, who had been courted - indirectly - by Saad Hariri through Bekaa MP Mohsen Dalloul and Zahle MP Nicolas Fattoush.

Saad Hariri takes on the Northern frontier
Lebanon, Politics
6/9/2005

The electoral race on the northern frontier reached its peak with Saad Hariri making a dramatic drive through the traditional strongholds of veteran politicians in Akkar and Dinnieh, and fulfilling his father's dream, blocked for so long by the Syrian intelligence services.

Inevitable disputes postponed until after the elections
Lebanon, Politics
6/7/2005

The cancellation of Monday's sit-in at the cross roads leading to Baabda presidential palace meant that the elections continue to be a priority in the opposition's agenda, postponing inevitable disputes between components of short-lived electoral alliances until further notice.

Opposition fails to breach Hizbullah stronghold
Lebanon, Politics
6/6/2005

Sunday's elections in the South incorporated all the fears, arguments and disputes expected to surface following the elections among all former or future alliances and coalitions concerning many internal and external issues, with disarming Hizbullah on top of the agenda.
Hizbullah desired to turn the elections in Southern Lebanon into a referendum in support of the resistance movement and against all plans to disarm its fortified division.

Southern voters face limited choices
Lebanon, Politics
6/4/2005

Voters in the South will go to the ballots in the next round of the elections on Sunday tied by limited choices and facing sluggishly prearranged polls. Politicians' eyes now turn to  other areas, where "real battles loaded with surprises" are being carefully prepared or being defused in Mount Lebanon, West Bekaa and the North.

Pro-Syrian ties put Aoun on shaky ground after Kassir death
Lebanon, Politics
6/3/2005

The assassination of staunchly anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir has rekindled the public attack on the state and its Syrian supporters, with many accusing Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun of splitting the opposition and allowing Damascus' "puppets" to regroup and continue their reign of terror.

Hariri opponents encouraged by low voter turnout in Beirut
Lebanon, Politics
6/1/2005

The opposition bloc grouping the Future Movement, Qornet Shehwan Gathering and Tripoli Gathering are close to announcing their electoral list for Tripoli-Zghorta-Koura, the North's second district.

Battle for the North promises to be close contest
Lebanon, Politics
5/31/2005

For candidates in the North, every available minute in the next three weeks must be maximized to mobilize their troops and formulate a clear strategy. Any mistakes or momentary lapse in concentration by any camp could mean drastic failure because at this point only one thing is certain: each and every seat is up for grabs.

First round of voting exposes Hariri's weakness
Lebanon, Politics
5/30/2005

All eyes were on Beirut, where the much anticipated first round of parliamentary elections were under way, with particular attention being paid to voter turnout and the potential emergence of any vulnerability in Saad Hariri's seemingly absolute dominance.

Campaign U-turns continue to rattle polls
Lebanon, Politics
5/28/2005

With voting day mere hours away for the capital's three districts, excitement is starting to build in the rest of the country as the expected landslide victory for a united opposition has vanished and left a tightly contested battle, particularly among Christian parties.

Nasrallah reveals Hizbullah's strategy of political alliance
Lebanon, Politics
5/27/2005

During his Liberation Day speech in Bint Jbeil, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah insisted his party's electoral alliances would only become long term political alliances if they were committed to "protecting the resistance and safeguarding its arms."

Alliance talks between FPM and Jumblatt fail
Lebanon, Politics
5/25/2005

The negotiations between Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and Walid Jumblatt have failed, meaning an electoral battle is now under way in Mount Lebanon, especially Baabda where Aoun believes he controls five out of six seats and in Aley where the results will be determined by the ballot box.

Husseini angles to replace Berri as speaker
Lebanon, Politics
5/24/2005

In the Baalbek-Hermel district, the formation of the Baath Party's electoral lists are facing new complications as the group's political bureau is split over who to name as candidates in the Hizbullah-dominated area.

Future Movement makes life hard for aspiring candidates
Lebanon, Politics
5/23/2005

The boycott of elections in the North by political groups such as Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya and by prominent figures such as Akkar MP Issam Fares and former Premier Omar Karami paint a gloomy picture for Zghorta MP Suleiman Franjieh and Akkar MP Mikhael Daher who are up against the powerful Future Movement's alliance.

Aoun says Hariri, Jumblatt have 'closed the door' on alliance
Lebanon, Politics
5/20/2005

Michel Aoun declared Thursday the Hariri-Jumblatt coalition had "closed the door, but not locked it" in their electoral negotiations, meaning the Free Patriotic Movement leader was not invited to join the coalition yet, but nor has he been given a chance to seek alliances elsewhere.

Backers and opponents wait for Aoun to make his move
Lebanon, Politics
5/19/2005

In an environment rife with "bargaining and phony alliances," former army commander General Michel Aoun claims to be the only politician who "insists on sticking to principles" and "refuses to make alliances simply for electoral purposes."

'Powerless' candidates set to take on dominant lists
Lebanon, Politics
5/18/2005

Former Premier Omar Karami, Zghorta MP Suleiman Franjieh, General Michel Aoun and many other Lebanese politicians all seem "powerless" in face of the present electoral alliances: Amal with Hizbulllah, and Saad Hariri's Future Movement with Walid Jumblatt's Progressive Socialist Party. Described as "bulldozers" by the Lebanese public, these alliances, created collectively or separately.

Alliances emerge as election campaign kicks into gear
Lebanon, Politics
5/17/2005

The election campaign kicked into high gear Monday, with some parties announcing their new electoral lists while others search for alliances and "test the waters" before announcing their final stance.