Pro-U.S. coalition wins in Lebanon

The American-backed political alliance of Lebanese parties fended off a strong challenge from a coalition led by Hezbollah on Sunday in a closely watched election that could have major repercussions, Lebanese news media reported, citing unofficial preliminary figures.

After a peaceful day of voting amid heavy turnout, the Western-backed March 14 coalition of Sunni, Maronite Christian and Druze political parties managed an upset victory over Hezbollah’s alliance, maintaining control over parliament and the process of choosing a new government, according to reports today in news media loyal to both camps.

“Congratulations to freedom,” Saad Hariri, leader of the March 14 coalition and a close ally of the United States, said from his campaign headquarters in West Beirut. “The main winner is Lebanon.”

According to newspapers and websites from both alliances, March 14 won at least 68 of 128 seats. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah appeared to concede defeat and call for unity.

“Regardless of the result and who gets the majority or minority, I don’t see that there’s a winner or a loser,” he said in published remarks.

Official results will be announced today. The election swung on the outcome of several key districts of the country’s Christian community, which is sharply divided between politicians in the March 14 alliance and the Free Patriotic Movement of Michel Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah.

Preliminary results cited by local news media showed that several closely watched Christian districts went against Aoun, who remains a divisive figure.

March 14 supporters feared a victory by Hezbollah and Aoun would turn Lebanon into a second Gaza Strip, an isolated enclave starved of resources and subject to Israeli military incursions. Nasrallah Sfeir, spiritual leader of Lebanon’s Christian Maronite community, warned Saturday night that the country was in danger, a statement widely interpreted as a blast against Hezbollah and Aoun.

As the results came in, political leaders worked to calm the electorate. The campaign has stoked passions within the Christian community and between Lebanon’s Shiites and Sunnis. The country’s kaleidoscope of communities emerged from a 15-year civil war in the 1990s and nearly descended again into conflict amid a political crisis in May 2008.

Despite a peaceful day of voting, fears are running high that security incidents might break out after official results are released. The army continues to maintain a heavy presence on the streets to prevent provocative displays in support of one camp or the other.

“The most important thing is starting a dialogue,” Walid Jumblatt, leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, told reporters. “No matter what the results . . . a national unity government is a necessity. We should not isolate the others and repeat the same mistakes of the past.”

The U.S., Europe, Israel, Iran and the Arab world are keeping a close eye on the elections in tiny Lebanon, long a battleground between regional powers. Many fear that a win by the Hezbollah-led alliance would stoke tensions between Israel and Lebanon, exacerbate the rift between Iran and the Arab world and cause the West to reconsider its financial and military support for the Lebanese government.

But some analysts downplayed the election’s importance. Hezbollah achieved its primary objectives of retaining its arsenal of weapons and wielding veto power over major government decisions in an agreement reached in Qatar after the clashes last year.

Officials announced that Sunday turnout was about 53% of eligible voters, much higher than in previous years. A Lebanese nonprofit group monitoring the balloting released a statement Sunday alleging incidents of vote-buying and bribery throughout the electoral campaign.

Throughout the day, voters flooded to their hometowns, adhering to rules that require Lebanese to show up at their ancestral regions to cast ballots, which are distributed outside polling stations by the political parties themselves.

A calm, festive air prevailed in Christian battleground districts such as the Metn, in Mount Lebanon, where most analysts predicted the race’s outcome would be decided. In some Christian districts, turnout reached 70%.

Pro-Hezbollah and pro-Western parties pitched campaign tents across from each other, handing out ballots, food and bottled water.

Pan-Arab news channels flooded the airwaves with live reports from correspondents stationed around the country and convened panels of experts to provide instant analysis.

Aside from the complicated geopolitics and the country’s lingering sectarian divisions, Lebanese also said they hoped their vote would bring to power leaders who would improve the economy and fight corruption.

“I hope Lebanon will change, and think it will,” said Nader Foani, a 29-year-old shoe salesman and supporter of the Shiite Amal party. “My phone bill is too expensive; prices are too high. The government should change that. That way, they don’t have to give me money to vote.”

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daragahi@latimes.com

Rafei is a special correspondent. Special correspondents Meris Lutz in Bikfaya, Lebanon, and Jahd Khalil in Beirut contributed to this report.