587 CANDIDATES IN RACE FOR LEBANON PARLIAMENT

Agence France Presse
April 23 2009

BEIRUT (AFP) — Lebanon said on Thursday that 587 candidates have
thrown their hats into the ring for the June parliamentary election,
which is seen as key to the future of the divided country.

Three Armenians have already been selected unopposed in seats in
Beirut and the Christian stronghold of Metn east of the capital after
rival candidates withdrew, Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said at a
press conference.

This gives two seats to the opposition, led by the Shiite militant
group Hezbollah and one seat for the current Sunni-led ruling majority,
ahead of the June 7 election for the 128-seat parliament.

The election pits the Hezbollah-led opposition, backed by Syria and
Iran, against the currrent parliamentary majority, backed by the
United States and regional Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia.

Candidates can still withdraw before June 7 but their registration
fee will not be reimbursed.