Lebanon Polls
Aoun scores stunning win
Firebrand former general Michel Aoun scored a stunning win yesterday in Lebanon's parliamentary elections to emerge as the main Christian political force in the country, only weeks after returning from exile.
Aoun, a prominent figure during Lebanon's civil war, dealt a major blow to the existing Christian opposition and its hopes of securing strong representation in the new 128-seat parliament and charting a course away from Syrian influence.
The polls, being held over four weekends ending on June 19, are the first without the presence of Syrian troops for three decades and are set to usher in an assembly with an anti-Syrian majority for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. But Aoun's victory could complicate the new political landscape in already highly factionalized Lebanon as it boosts the chances of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud staying in power.
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