Anti-Syrian Christian leader, Michel Aoun, has scored a clean sweep against rival Christian politicians in the third and most crucial round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections.
The defeat of several prominent Christian figures opposed to Syria's role in Lebanon will be sure to complicate the next 128-seat parliament's task of charting the country's new political course.
The elections are set to usher in a parliament with most legislators opposed to Syria for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Unofficial counts showed candidates backed by Aoun set to clinch 15 of 16 seats up for grabs in the Maronite Christian heartland of North Metn and Byblos-Kesrwan north of Beirut. There was no Aoun-allied candidate running for the undecided seat.
The pro-Syrian Hizbollah group and its allies also increased their share in parliament with 10 candidates winning seats in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel district. The alliance has now won 33 seats in the 128-assembly.
The election in eastern and central regions of the country was held as a UN special envoy met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amid US claims that Syrian intelligence agents remained in Lebanon despite its troop pullout in April.
Some 1.2 million eligible voters in the Bekaa Valley and Mount Lebanon had to elect 58 MPs - almost half of the 128-member parliament.
Local television estimated that the turnout exceeded 45%.
The four-round elections are the first following Syria's 29-year military occupation and come after the killing of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri which plunged Lebanon into turmoil.
