Political Battle Looms in Lebanon

Lebanese people carry the coffin of slain anti-syrian lawmaker Walid Eido who was killed by an explosion on Wednesday, as they head to a Mosque during his funeral procession in Beirut, Lebanon Thursday, June 14, 2007. A bomb-rigged car, rocked Beirut's seafront Wednesday, killing an anti-Syrian lawmaker Walid Eido and his 35-year-old son, two of his bodyguards and six others in a narrow street off the main waterfront in Manara. The blast, a new blow to the stability of this conflict-torn nation, comes days after the government began putting together an international tribunal ordered by the United Nations to try suspects in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut two years ago a move strongly opposed by Syria and its allies in Lebanon. The slain lawmaker, Walid Eido, was a prominent supporter of the tribunal and a close friend of Hariri. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (Hussein Malla - AP)

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- After yet another assassination, Lebanon's anti-Syrian politicians accuse the government in Damascus of trying to end their rule by killing members of the parliamentary majority one by one.

This week's slaying of anti-Syrian lawmaker Walid Eido in a massive Beirut car bombing has sparked a new political battle here, fueling rifts that are putting Lebanon's democracy at the risk of a total breakdown.

With Eido's death, U.S.-backed Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's majority in parliament has been whittled down to only four seats. If he loses those _ either by deaths or defections _ his government could fall, a goal of the pro-Syrian opposition led by the Hezbollah militant group.

Samir Geagea, a leading Christian member of the anti-Syrian coalition, accused Syria on Friday of killing Eido _ a claim echoed by many of the government's supporters and denied by Damascus.

"Eido was assassinated to reduce the parliamentary majority in order to bring the government down," Geagea said at a news conference.

Geagea led the main Christian militia during Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war and was imprisoned for 11 years on charges of killing a prime minister, an accusation he said was cooked up by the Syrians.

On Saturday, Saniora's Cabinet called for a by-election to be held Aug. 5 for Eido's seat and that of Industry Minister and lawmaker Pierre Gemayel, who was assassinated in November, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said.

Lahoud's signature will be needed to ask parliament to approve the by-election, but he refused to provide it after Gemayel's slaying in November.

At Eido's funeral Thursday, legislator Mohammed Kabbani, speaking for the Future Movement, the main bloc of the parliament majority, supported an election to avert the "plan to reduce the parliamentary majority through murder."

If Lahoud refuses to sign an election decree, it "would make him a participant in that plot and consequently a participant in the murders," Kabbani warned. "Elections must take place even if Emile Lahoud rejects it."

Even if Lahoud approved such an election, the 128-seat parliament would then need to pass it, and pro-Syrian parliament speaker Nabih Berri has refused to allow the legislature to convene for months.

Lahoud, Berri and the opposition do not recognize Saniora's government, saying it is unconstitutional since all five Shiite members and a Christian ally quit in November. The constitution requires that all major sects be represented in the Cabinet.