Hariri's victory gives the 35 year old an absolute majority of 72 seats out of the 128 total.

Sunday marked the final round of elections, as the selection of 128 members to form Lebanon's first post-Syria parliament has concluded. The week leading up to the showdown in the North was dominated by campaign rhetoric, and exposed the dark side of some candidates who engaged in a no-holds-barred slugfest.

Unlike earlier stages of the election plagued by low turnout, North Lebanon witnessed an estimated 49% of the eligible 700,000 voters. In contrast, the last election held in 2000, had a turnout of 40% in the same region. Official results were expected on Monday.

Hariri won every seat contested on Sunday, adding 28 to the 44 seats captured in previous rounds, bringing the total for Hariri and Walid Jumblatt's anti-Syrian Opposition movement to 72 seats. The alliance between Hizbollah and Amal racked up 35 seats, predominantly in South Lebanon. Aoun and his allies collected 21 seats.

While the election saw many unlikely alliances, they are likely to fall apart in the aftermath of the vote. Parliament will likely be split into three main blocs, the anti-Syrian Opposition, the pro-Syrian group dominated by Amal and Hizbollah, and the Aoun group.

Key issues facing parliament include the fate of Syria's close ally President Emile Lahoud and international calls for Hizbollah guerrillas to disarm. Major political and economic reforms are also in dire need.

While the Opposition may have achieved an absolute majority, they fell short of the two-thirds majority necessary for overturning the illegitimate constitutional amendment which granted pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud a third term. The Opposition needs 13 more votes in parliament to secure such a change.

Aoun said he would work with the Opposition to shorten the term of President Emile Lahoud, and step in to replace the heavily criticized leader. Aoun's bloc in parliament would be enough to overturn the mandate.

"If the parliamentary majority agrees on my political program, if there is a consensus, I'm ready to become president on condition that those leaving be given an honorable discharge," said Aoun on Wednesday.

The Opposition's strong representation in the new parliament also paves the way for Saad Hariri to become the next prime minister, following in his father's footsteps.

"Final results show that we are ahead and show that the people have voted for change," Hariri said. "It was not possible that after the martyrdom of Rafik al-Hariri, the withdrawal of Syria, that nothing would change."

"According to incomplete results, we are heading to a total victory," said leading candidate Boutros Harb.

The result comes after the Opposition faced a major setback in Mount Lebanon and Bekaa in the previous stage. The smear tactics came out in full force, as candidates spent most of the week leading up to the final stage trying accusing opponents of being more anti-Syrian. Aoun accused Hariri and Jumblatt of being belated converts to the anti-Syrian cause, while Hariri pointed out the staunch allies of Syria that were in alliance with Aoun.

Aoun allied himself with former Premier Omar Karami and former interior minister, Suleiman Franjieh, both staunch pro-Syrians whom the opposition wanted to defeat. Karami is disliked by many for stalling parliament following the assassination of Rafik Hariri, and was ridiculed for his repeated attempts to resign, until the current PM Najib Mikati finally took over.

Aoun, a former military commander, was banking on voters with military background in the North, including Akkar, home to many members of the army. While soldiers in active duty cannot vote, their families and the retired can.

Reports have emerged of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement seeking to forge a new alliance after the elections. It remains to be seen if the newly elected parliament can move on from the mud slinging, and seek the best interests of Lebanon over individual aspirations.

Source: Ya Libnan