LOC18:56
15:56 GMT
One of the voters
BEIRUT, Aug 5 (KUNA) -- Polling centers closed in Lebanon in the two by-elections in Beirut's second constituency and the north-Meten one at six pm local time as a prelude to beginning the vote-counting.
Unofficial results for the by-elections are expected by later Sunday night amid strict security measures and in view of an election decree that was not approved by Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, who has been treating the government of Prime Minister Fuad Al-Siniora as a non-existent one.
Meanwhile, the Christian Maronite Church tried but failed to prevent the by-election, at least in north Meten to avoid negative repercussions of such an electoral clash between two leading Christian politicians, namely former President Amin Gemayel and Camille Khoury, who was fielded by MP Michel Aoun. The by-election in north Meten has widened the gap between the Kataeb Party (Gemayel) and the Free Patriotic Movement (Aoun). (pickup previous) an.eh KUNA 051856 Aug 07NNNN