BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 1 (UPI) -- Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah outlined a platform of reform while listing candidates to his Resistance bloc in a major speech Wednesday.
In the speech, Nasrallah stressed that the major goal of Hezbollah was to ensure opposition candidates secured as many parliamentary seats as possible, adding that Hezbollah was not seeking specifically to increase its parliamentary seats, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV reports.
Lebanon holds parliamentary elections in June. Analysts predict a tight race between the pro-Western March 14 coalition and the March 8 slate, which includes the Lebanese Hezbollah.
Nasrallah, stressing the importance of democratic elections, said the outcome of the June elections would bring marked changes to the political system in Beirut, but he said the elections should not be considered historic or fateful.
"This doesn't mean that the elections aren't very important," he added. "It's the Lebanese people's duty to take part in the elections and vote and bring about new (members of Parliament)."
Hezbollah has said it would seek unification in the government if it emerges victorious, though some in the March 14 bloc expressed reservations over dealing with a system with Hezbollah in control.
Nasrallah outlined a general platform that addressed a desire to bring about political, economic and other reforms. Candidates for Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc include its leader, Mohammed Raad, Labor Minister Mohammed Fneish and others.
