06/08/2007 The unconstitutional Interior Minister Hassan Sabei announced early Monday that the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) candidate won a by-election to Lebanon's parliament in the Metn district. 
In the latest showdown between the ruling bloc and the Lebanese national opposition, the opposition achieves a victory in a new proof that showed one more time the people's choice.
The Metn result endorsed Maronite opposition leader Michel Aoun's earlier statement his candidate had beaten Amin Gemayel, a former president and a key member of the ruling bloc. Camille Khoury won 39,534 votes as against 39,116 for Gemayel. Asked about the small difference, Aoun said that it is a big victory that carries an important message since the opposition's candidate was facing political money, an emotional campaign because the ruling bloc was exploiting the "martyr" former Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel not to mention the interference of many sides.  
Lebanese troops intervened to break up several clashes between supporters of both camps north of Beirut. Aoun's candidates easily won seats in Metn in 2005, bolstering his saying that he is the strongest Christian leader and allowing him to stake a claim for the presidency.
And in Beirut, official results showed candidate Mohammad Amin Itani won more than 22,000 votes. Turnout was low at 19 percent. The opposition did not run a serious candidate in the by-election.