HEZBOLLAH and its allies appear to have lost their majority in the Lebanese parliament after the first national election since the country’s economic crisis and the 2020 Beirut port explosion. 

Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces — a far-right Christian militia and political party — claimed to be the leading Christian organisation, overtaking President Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). 

Final results showed the Lebanese Forces with 20 seats and the FPM trailing on 18. But when allies are considered, the situation is less clear cut. 

Mr Geagea has been convicted of war crimes and was sentenced to life in prison for ordering four political assassinations, including that of former prime minister Rashid Karami in 1988.

For many Lebanese people, he will always be associated with the massacre of scores of people, including the bombing of Sayidat al-Najat church in Jounieh in 1994, which killed 10 people and wounded 54.

Mr Geagea — who is backed by the US and Saudi Arabia — was released under an amnesty in 2005 following Lebanon’s so-called Cedar Revolution.

Former Prime Minister and Sunni Muslim Saad Hariri called for his supporters to boycott the election and his advice appeared to be heeded, with a low turnout. 

It is expected to take weeks before a government is formed.