Pro-Syria, pro-Hizbollah Speaker Nabih Berri has been re-elected by the anti-Syrian parliament:

The 128-seat assembly, dominated by opponents of Syria for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war, voted by an overwhelming majority of 90 for Berri, despite international and local reservations over retaining one of the main enforcers of Syria’s grip over its tiny neighbor.

Though the May 29-June 19 elections were won by groups that opposed Syria’s role, they had little choice but to back Berri for a fourth straight term after his alliance with the Hizbollah guerrilla group won over 80 percent of the Shi’ite Muslim vote.

That made it difficult for parliament to replace him without appearing to defy the will of a large segment of the Lebanese.

This is as was expected as Berri garnered support from Saad al-Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt after Berri promised to institute reforms. As a Shiite, this is the highest office open to the man who has been Speaker since 1992. Also as expected, Berri lead off his new term by quashing any hopes that Hizbollah would be part the proposed reform:

In his first speech to parliament after winning the vote, Berri indicated he would oppose efforts to disarm Hizbollah’s guerrillas, who helped end Israel’s 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in 2000, and who now control the volatile border.

“Last time we neglected the south and left it exposed, we found the enemy (Israel) knocking on the door of our capital with a fireball,” Berri told the house.

Berri campaigned under the slogan, “No to disarming the anti-Israel resistance.” Maybe it’s catchier in Arabic.