Lebanon elections point to a shift, but more turmoil ahead

By ZEINA KARAM and BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Preliminary results from parliamentary elections in Lebanon over the weekend show the country’s militant Hezbollah group and its allies have apparently suffered losses. Iran-backed Hezbollah’s opponents gained more seats while several of its traditional partners lost seats. But despite the apparent setback, Hezbollah and its main Shiite ally, the Amal group, are likely to retain the 27 seats allocated to their sect. The unofficial results show that independents, including those from the 2019 protest movement, made some gains removing longtime politicians from parliament. The closely watched elections on Sunday were the first since a devastating economic crisis erupted in Lebanon in October 2019, triggering nationwide protests against the ruling class.