The Sunni representation of al-Mustaqbal Movement in the new Parliament was reduced after the party lost several seats in last Sunday’s polls against figures related to Hezbollah’s “axis of resistance.”
The country’s long-awaited elections produced a change in the size of some political forces in the 128-member Parliament, which is divided equally between Christians and Muslims.
Al-Mustaqbal Movement lost the role of holding the absolute representation of Sunnis after Sunni candidates opposed to Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s policy won 10 seats in the last elections.
However, sources close to the Prime Minister told Asharq Al-Awsat that head of the Mustaqbal Movement won a Sunni representation with little competition.
“The PM won 67 percent of the country’s Sunni votes. He has 17 Sunni candidates who won by net Sunni votes. Therefore, the Sunni leadership is in the hands of Hariri,” the sources said.
They added that according to the party’s electoral campaign, the six pro-Hezbollah Sunni candidates who won during last week’s polls were elected by Shi’ite voters. The sources said Hariri lost 10 seats due to the decrease of the national participation in the elections, and the new proportional representation law.
It is now confirmed that MP Qassem Hashem will be part of Amal’s parliamentary bloc, while MP Walid Sukkarieh with Hezbollah’s bloc.
However, there are still conflicting reports about the political inclinations of MP Abdel-Rahim Mrad, Ossama Saad, Faisal Karami and Jihad al-Sama, who are very close to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who currently built an independent parliamentary bloc of four deputies, would later decide where to stand in the new Parliament.
Mikati’s political advisor Khaldoun al-Sharif told Asharq Al-Awsat that the bloc would either be part of a parliamentary bloc for the North of Lebanon, or an independent national bloc. He denied rumors saying Mikati would head a bloc loyal to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.
Sharif uncovered that the political choices of Mikati’s bloc are closer to those of the Lebanese Forces. “Therefore, how can we be allies to the Syrian regime and Hezbollah,” he asked.
Meanwhile, Lebanese circles await the appointment of a new Prime Minister following a session scheduled on May 20 to elect a new Speaker.
Sources close to Hariri rejected that Hezbollah imposes his conditions on the Prime Minister as a condition to support his nomination for the premiership.
