Five injured in Lebanon celebrations after Berri's election as speaker (Roundup)

Jun 25, 2009, 15:20 GMT

Beirut - At least five people were wounded by gunfire Thursday in Beirut as supporters celebrated the re-election of Nabih Berri as parliament speaker to a fifth term.

Shortly after parliament announced the Berri's victory, dozens of the speaker's followers took to the streets and started firing gunshots into the air to mark the success.

According to hospital sources at least five people were admitted suffering from gunshot wounds from various areas of Beirut.

The head of the Lebanese Christian Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, immdiately denounced the shootings which targeted civilians in their homes or in theirs cars and called for the arrest of culprits.

Berri, who is a close ally of the Shiite movement Hezbollah and has been dubbed by some 'the speaker for life' since he has held the post uninterrupted since 1992, received 90 ballots. 28 parliamentarians cast blank votes, and nine voted against.

127 members of the 128-seat Parliament - comprising 13 political blocs and 11 independent MPs - took part in the vote. One MP was registered as absent.

The Christian Phalange Party and the Lebanese Forces have openly objected to Berri's re-election, blaming him for the failure to provide assurances beforehand that he would not close down the parliament - as he did during an 18-month political crisis between 2007-2008 which gripped Lebanon, before a deal was cut in Doha on electing a new president.

A government source told the German Press Agency dpa that Berri's re-election will speed up the formation of the new cabinet.

Berri is scheduled to meet President Michel Suleiman later on Thursday to arrange parliamentary consultations to choose the next prime minister.

According to the same source Saad Hariri's premiership appointment is 'settled business,' as he has already discussed the composition of the upcoming government with President Suleiman.

The Western-backed majority headed by Hariri won the June parliamentary election against the opposition-led Hezbollah.