Shia Islamic group Hezbollah and its political allies made gains in Lebanon’s first parliamentary election in nine years, winning more than half of the seats in the 6 May ballot, according to unofficial preliminary results reported by state media.

If confirmed, the result would further strengthen Hezbollah, which has dominated Lebanon’s political affairs since 2008.

The unofficial results suggest that, even though his March 14 Alliance is expected to lose seats, Western-backed Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri will be the likely frontrunner to form the next government, due to being the Sunni Muslim leader with the most seats. Under Lebanon’s sectarian power sharing system rules, the Prime Minister must be a Sunni Muslim.

Official results are expected later today, 7 May, or tomorrow on 8 May. Initial results showed that less than half of registered voters turned up to vote in the parliamentary ballot, lower than the 54 per cent turnout recorded in the last election in 2009.

Under the new electoral laws, passed in 2017, the 6 May parliamentary ballot was conducted using a list-based proportional system for voting, with seats distributed between numerous Islamic and Christian groups. The new electoral system has also reduced the number of districts, with a total of 128 seats now to be decided in the election. Under the new rules, expatriates will also be able to vote for the first time.

While the introduction of a proportional representation system is intended to facilitate more plurality in Lebanon’s political landscape, many believe that the high threshold limits established for candidates will instead favour the established political blocs rather than creating an opportunity for new parties.