As a result of the 2000 election law, Syria was able to influence parliamentary elections in the year 2000. It was that parliament that changed the constitution to extend Lahoud's term by another 3 years. Assad threatened Hariri, that if the parliament will not extend Hariri 's term, he ( Assad ) was going to destroy Lebanon, because Assad considered Lahoud his " representative in Lebanon" as he told the slain PM Rafik Hariri.

Lahoud stayed silent on the sweeping win scored by his slain political rival's son Saad Hariri.

The low 28 percent turnout marred Hariri's landslide victory in the first general election in three decades with no Syrian troops in Lebanon and no direct Syrian interference. Many people stayed away because Hariri's win seemed assured, with nine seats going to his bloc uncontested before the vote.

Lahoud, whose political survival may be at stake after the May 29-June 19 elections, said the turnout in Beirut, the first region to vote, "proves our theory that the present electoral law does not meet aspirations of the Lebanese people."

In an official statement, he urged the next parliament to draft a new law that would secure fair representation for all.

Official results showed Hariri's slate grabbing all the capital's 19 seats in the 128-member assembly in Sunday's vote.

Hariri and his allies in the anti-Syrian opposition have also criticized the law, but PM Karami 's inability to come up with any election law , caused fear amongst the anti - Syrian opposition, that this was a Syrian ploy to delay the election. This is why the opposition struck a deal with Hezbollah and Speaker Berri to have the elections based on the 2000 law. The idea was any law is better than election delays

Sources: Ya Libnan, VOL, Reuters