Hezbollah leader declares ‘big victory’ despite losing parliamentary majority
Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Lebanon’s Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah, said Wednesday that no political party could claim victory in the country’s recent elections.
Nasrallah said during his first televised speech since Sunday’s election that “unlike the situation in parliament in 2018, no political group can claim a majority,” according to Reuters.
He did, however, acknowledge that his party and its allies had lost their parliamentary majority.
According to final results released Tuesday, the Hezbollah-led coalition ended up with 61 seats in the 128-member legislature, a drop of 10 since the last vote was held four years ago.
While Hezbollah itself and its main Shiite ally, the Amal group of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, retained their 27 seats, some of its closest allies lost theirs.
The biggest loss came to Hezbollah allies with close links to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, including deputy parliament speaker Elie Ferzli; Druze politician Talal Arslan, who had held a seat for three decades; Asaad Hardan; and Faisal Karami, son of late premier Omar Karami.
Read More: The Times of Israel