MESOPOTAMIA NEWS LEBANON ELECTIONS / A HEZBOLLAH & ASSAD VICTORY
Voter Apathy Mars Turnout in Lebanese Parliamentary Election: On May 6, Lebanese voters cast their ballots for members of parliament for the first time in nine years, though turnout was reportedly 49.2 percent (five percent lower than the 2009 elections). Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk expressed disappointment in the low turnout, saying, “Whoever didn’t vote cannot object to what happens in the future.” As the polls neared closing, President Michael Aoun urged citizens to vote in an effort to overcome widespread voter apathy. While full results are expected later today, preliminary results suggest Hezbollah will take 47 of the 128 seats in parliament, as Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future Movement lost five seats. Hezbollah’s allies are reported to have won an additional 20 seats, giving the bloc a majority in the legislature. After the polls closed Sunday, analyst Emile Hokayem offered some early post-election analysis about what the elections mean for a number of parties and prominent politicians.