DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 30 – A heavily favored slate led by Saad Hariri, the son of the assassinated Lebanese former prime minister Rafik Hariri, swept parliamentary elections in Beirut on Sunday, clinching all 19 of the capital’s seats.
The victory was tempered, however, by concerns about the low turnout.
Mr. Hariri’s allies won by wide margins in all three districts in Beirut, Interior Minister Hassan Sabei announced Monday. The alliance had already claimed nine seats that were unchallenged when polling began, and easily won the remaining contested seats. Mr. Hariri, a relative unknown in Lebanese politics, garnered almost 39,500 votes of the nearly 42,000 cast for his seat. Full Story
