Northern Lebanese voted in the final phase of the country?s election yesterday, with an opposition coalition seeking a parliamentary majority and a mandate to end Syria?s influence.

The ballot, staggered by region over four weekends, is the first in Lebanon with no Syrian military presence in three decades after Damascus pulled its troops out in April.

The northern Lebanon vote, in which more than 100 candidates are fighting for the remaining 28 parliamentary seats, will decide whether the 128-seat assembly has an anti-Syrian majority or the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Competition is close and sectarian tension is high.

The anti-Syrian list backed by the Sunni Muslim son of assassinated former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri squares off against an unlikely alliance of pro-Syrians and Damascus? erstwhile foe, former general Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian.

Aoun?s victory in the Christian heartland of Mount Lebanon in last week?s round stunned the disparate movement whose street protests following Hariri?s assassination on Feb. 14 forced Syria to bow to global pressure and pull out of Lebanon.

Saad al-Hariri?s slate must now win 21 of the seats up for grabs in the north to have an absolute majority in the house ? a far cry from the commanding two-thirds the anti-Syrian front had predicted would give it more weight in the cabinet.

If Hariri?s coalition, which swept the polls in Beirut three weeks ago, fails to secure enough seats, it will become just one of three substantial blocs in the assembly, forced to bargain with anti-Syrian rivals and compromise with allies of Damascus.

?We as a government are very happy because these elections are proceeding in a climate of democracy, freedom and integrity as we promised the Lebanese?, prime minister Najib Mikati told a news conference in the northern port city of Tripoli.

Votes for sale?

Security was tight around polling stations where pictures of the candidates were plastered on walls, billboards and hung on electricity and telephone poles. Rival candidates accused each other of vote-buying and intimidation.

Turnout was relatively high with the Interior Ministry saying it reached 20 percent of the 690,000 eligible voters in the first four hours of voting.

European Union election monitors are observing the May 29-June 19 polls and are expected to issue a verdict on Monday. It is the first time international observers have monitored elections in Lebanon.

?I voted for Aoun because he is clean?, Nabil Mubarak said after he cast his ballot in the Christian town of Batroon. ?We want change, we want to try a new person.?

In mainly Sunni Muslim Tripoli, the mood was different.

?I voted for Hariri list because Saad al-Hariri represents the Sunnis. His list represents moderation in Lebanon?, Abdul Majid Basheer said.

Whoever fares better, unlikely alliances that characterised the election are likely to crumble once the results are out.

They will realign into three main blocs ? the anti-Syrian faction led by Hariri, the pro-Syrian group dominated by Shi?ite Muslim Amal and Hizbollah, and Aoun?s followers.

They will jostle for a say on divisive issues such as the fate of Syria?s close ally President Emile Lahoud and international calls for Hizbollah guerrillas to disarm.

Alaa SHAHINE