Hariri's Future confident of winning another majority

Beirut: Lebanon's ruling majority, March 14 coalition, is predicting to win big in Sunday's national elections and warning of "financial trouble" if the Hezbollah-dominated opposition managed an upset.

The Lebanese enjoyed a rare quiet day on Saturday as the campaign noise fell silent, one day before voters go to the polls. More than three million voters are eligible to cast their vote on Sunday to elect 128 MPs amid tight security. More than 55,000 army and security personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the hotly contested polls.

The elections pits a pro-Western alliance, the ruling March 14 coalition, led by billionaire Saad Hariri's Future Movement, also backed by Saudi Arabia, against the opposition - an odd alliance between Hezbollah, backed by Syria, and the largest Christian party, Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

Turning point

The elections is being described as "a turning point" in Lebanon's history and all parties agree that it will have a regional impact as the Arab world continues to be divided along the lines of the moderates, led by Riyadh, and "the resistance" axis, led by Damascus and supported by the Islamic regime in Iran.

A tense two-month campaign, dominated by mudslinging and dirty tricks, came to a halt at midnight on Friday, as per the law. Television and radio stations were also banned from interviewing candidates or airing campaign ads.

"We will win by a margin of at least six seats," a Future official, and a close aide of Hariri told Gulf News in an interview. The official, who is running in the Beirut district, a stronghold of Hariri, spoke on the condition of anonymity, for fear of violating the election bylaws.

March 14 is on its way to form the next government, which will be another unity cabinet, he said. "But we will not give the opposition the veto power," as it is the case in the outgoing government, he added.

"I expect the new government to be made up of 30 ministers, of which March 14 will have 15, the opposition 10 and 5 ministers would be named by President Michel Sulaiman," he explained.

The official said there is "some talk" among the March 14 leaders that Hariri could become the new prime minister. "We feel it is time that he assumed this responsibility."

The current government is headed by Fouad Siniora, a close Hariri aide and who is contesting the elections in the southern coastal city of Sidon.

The official warned that the international community will feel "uneasy" if Hezbollah and its allies win the elections. "Let us be realistic," he added, a government in which Hezbollah will be the main player will not get the international cooperation or the financial backing Lebanon needs to overcome its chronic budget deficit and service its massive foreign debt.

Spree of TV interviews

Few hours before the deadline for the end of campaigning, the two camps sent its big guns on a spree of TV interviews to woo the voters one last time

Speaking on the LBC station, parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a leader of the opposition and close ally of Hezbollah, tried to allay fears of an opposition victory.

If the opposition wins, he said, "we will not alter the economic policy. In fact, we will introduce new laws to boost the economy and encourage foreign investment. We will open the doors to privatisation in some sectors and play by the rules set by international donors."

Berri said he expected the race to be tight. "It will be a close race, therefore, we must have a unity government." If the opposition wins, "it will give March 14 the veto power in the cabinet," he added.

Hariri has said if Hezbollah and its allies win the election, March 14 will not take part in the government.

In a last-minute appeal to voters, Hariri, son of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005, said on Friday night the Lebanese people "must make a choice between Lebanon that is democratic, peaceful and free market-oriented and the other Lebanon of fear, death and wars," in reference to Hezbollah's armed group which fought three wars against Israel in the past 15 years.

"Today, we decide the future of our country," he told hundreds of Future Movement campaign workers in a ceremony to announce the closing of the party's election campaign.

Who do you support in the elections? Do you think the party coming to power will be able to form a stable government?

It is not 128 MPs it is 125 MPs and 3 of them have already won
Charbel
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: June 07, 2009, 08:48

In my view Saad hariri will win the election because if Hassan will come in power it will be very difficult for ppl to live their basic lives.
Adnan
Karachi,Pakistan
Posted: June 07, 2009, 08:14