Lebanon Awaits Official Results of Vote in Parliamentary Elections

By Staff, Agencies

The results of Lebanon's first elections since multiple crises ravaged the country are expected Monday.

According to provisional turnout figures, 41 percent of Lebanon's 3.9 million registered voters cast a ballot Sunday in 12 hours of polling that saw several irregularities and minor incidents.

Lebanon shares power among its religious communities. By convention, the president is a Maronite Christian, the premier a Sunni Muslim, and the parliamentary speaker a Shiite.

One of the most notable changes in the electoral landscape is the absence of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, which leaves parts of the Sunni vote up for grabs by new players.

Supporters of Hariri skipped elections and, in Beirut, some set up inflatable swimming pools to show their boycott of the vote.