in what is being hailed a landslide victory.

The official results have yet to be announced, and are expected at a press conference held by Interior Minister Hassan Sabaa at 8pm Beirut Time on Monday, June 20.

Approximately 63 candidates competed on Sunday for the 28 seats contested, in the final round of the four week long election.

"The almost final results show that the people has had its say. (The people) said that it wants change and that's what we call for," Hariri said on Monday.

The strong alliance between Hariri's Tayyar Al Mustaqbal, Jumblatt's Progessive Socialist Party, Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces and Qornet Shahwan is expected to align with Amal and Hizbullah for an overwhelming majority of 97 votes in the new parliament. Such an alliance would yield over 75% of the votes in parliament, well over the two-thirds majority needed for electing changes.

Voting stops, slander continues

At a time when national unity is desperately needed, Jumblatt unfortunately lacked humility and grace in victory. "We have harnessed Aoun's Tsunami-like phenomenon and cut the General down to size. We have rid Lebanon of a big lie called Aoun," said Jumblatt. He referred to pro-Syrian Suleiman Franjieh as "the silly boy."

The Druze chieftain cautioned Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir that "Aoun's radicalism means a dead-end" for Lebanon, slating the General "part of a bad past, a failure as a military commander and as a politician."

Aoun accused Hariri of buying votes and playing on sectarian differences to secure victory in northern Lebanon, ruling out any chance of teaming up with him in parliament.

"We will be in opposition (to the opposition). We can't be with a majority that reached (parliament) through corruption," Aoun said.

"There is a confidence crisis between us. They don't trust me and I don't trust them," Aoun continued. "What happened is that the Anjar (Syrian) whip has been replaced by the Hariri money."

Hariri responded, saying, "We don't think that we are in a quarrel with anybody. We may have a difference of opinion, but we'll not allow such differences of opinion to grow into a problem that stands in the way of reconstructing the country and regaining the democratic path."

He added, "We are not closing the door in the face of any of the parties. We're ready to talk to anybody."

Franjieh, one of Syrian President Bashar Assad's greatest advocates in Lebanon and an ally of Aoun, admitted defeat for his alliance, saying on Sunday night: "We bow to the will of the people."

Franjieh criticized the sectarian nature of the elections, saying "the north has been divided along sectarian lines." Franjieh continued, "we have arrived at what we used to warn against."

While Franjieh claims to be concerned about national unity, he managed to further stir sectarian strife when he later said on the Lebanese Broadcasting Channel, "even if we have lost, we are the real representatives of the Christian areas in north Lebanon."

Hariri extended a hand to all sectors of the society. "I really hope that all the rhetoric and slogans are behind us. People have concerns, so let's sit together and work and enough of this talk."

He added, "We respect all religions and we are against any divisive or sectarian talk."

Political prisoner Samir Geagea's wife Strida, lead the victory in Besharre, capturing two seats in parliament. She dedicated the victory to her husband, and vowed, as soon as possible, to pass a bill to free Samir prison in Yarze, where he has been incarcerated for 11 years.

"We won. Our national unity alliance has won, ending the lingering fallout of the civil war and leading Lebanon to freedom, democracy and true sovereignty," Mrs. Geagea said.

Spokesmen for Hariri and Jumblatt said Geagea's parole is their immediate top priority. The duo also plan to press for the removal of Emile Lahoud from Presidency.

"I believe that he should be removed at once in order to stamp out the police state he had installed with Syria's backing," Jumblatt said. "But I am told that the fate of the Maronite President should be left for the Christian community to decide."

Omar Karami, who infamously resigned three times from premiership, accused Hariri of using his wallet to win Tripoli. "He has staged a shameless invasion on money horsebacks," Karami said of Hariri, who spent five days in Tripoli to personally conduct his election campaign.

"He has addressed the people with a sectarian language to win a passing battle, like a person burning a city to light his cigarette," Karami said.

Karami felt violated by Hariri, as though the vendetta was personal. "No one can shut down the Karami House, not Hariri nor the powers that stand behind Hariri which we all know," Karami said in a reference to the United States and France.

Political reforms imminent

Prime Minister Najib Mikati dismissed accusations that a continuing Syrian intelligence presence had intimidated voters.

"The voting has been completely free," stated Mikati. "There's been no intervention by Syria to influence voters. There are no Syrian agents at work."

Mikati said his government would be officially out of office as of midnight Monday, when the mandate of Lebanon's outgoing parliament comes to an end. "As of then, I will be a caretaker prime minister," Mikati said in a new conference held in Tripoli.

With Hariri's support, Mikati is expected to retain his role and stay on as prime minister.

"I am not a premiership aspirant and I do not plan to return to the Grand Serail. But if the majority in parliament wants me, I will not shy away," said Mikati.

Jumblatt counseled Saad Hariri against seeking the premiership. "If I am allowed to make an advice, I counsel Sheikh Saad not to stand for the premiership because this would be a risk as long as Gen. Lahoud is president," Jumblat said.

Mikati said the new parliament will convene later this week to elect a new Speaker and Vice Speaker. The session is expected to take place on June 26. Jumblatt declared support for Nabih Berri, a close ally of Damascus, to retain the Speaker's post for a fourth straight 4-year term. However several Hariri allies have said they would not vote for Berri, whose alliance with Hizbollah swept the Shiite vote.

International satisfaction

The United States, which teamed with France to lead UN Security Council Resolution 1559 last September, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops, called the elections an "important milestone in Lebanon's transformation."

US ambassador Jeffrey Feltman said, "we have full confidence that the parliament and the forthcoming cabinet in Lebanon will be committed to the type of genuine political, institutional, economic reforms that the Lebanese people so desire and so deserve."

"This reform process needs to be a Lebanese process, this is not something that foreign governments can impose on Lebanon," he said, emphasizing that Washington was not out to impose its own model on the Lebanese people.

The foreign ministry of France was "satisfied" with the vote, and pledged full backing to the new government.

Sources: Ya Libnan, , Reuters, Naharnet