Lebanon Elections

Saad Hariri's party has swept the elections in Beirut district.

Interior Minister Hassan al-Sabaa read the results on Monday.

He announced the names of the candidates who secured the 10 seats still being contested during Sunday's vote. The Hariri ticket had already secured the nine other seats for the Beirut district, which were uncontested. Minister al-Sabaa says Saad Hariri's party secured the most votes overall and all 19 seats in Beirut.

The election had very low showing though.

Less than 30 percent of the 400,000 registered voters in the Beirut district cast their ballots on Sunday.

Many supporters of Christian politicians boycotted the elections, declaring that a 2000 electoral districting law still in use did not properly represent them. The Free Patriotic Movement, led by former General Michel Aoun, who returned from exile earlier this month, posted "no vote" signs throughout the Christian suburbs in Beirut.

I have seen some conjecture that the vote is also more related to sympathy for the murder of Rafik Hariri, rather than a logical choice of candidates. With many of the seats uncontested, I don't think this has quite as much value as an argument. I do think the low turn out is a mar on the election result though. Maybe there will be better results in the later votes.