Lebanon’s pro-Western government have held on to power in the country’s elections in a victory experts said had been helped by President Barack Obama’s attempts to build a new relationship with the Middle East.

They said his speech in Cairo last week had encouraged support for moderate parties and helped stop the bloc led by militant group Hizbollah taking control.

The election was the first major political test in the Middle East since Mr Obama called for a “new beginning between the United States and Muslims”.

n his speech, he challenged the Islamic world to confront violent extremism and urged Israel, the Palestinians and Arab states to find common ground to establish peace.

Mr Obama further bolstered support for the American-backed alliance by sending Vice-President Joseph Biden to Beirut three weeks ago and Ray LaHood, transportation secretary, to the country on polling day.

The winning coalition gained an extra seat to take it to 71 members in the 128-member house, while Hizbollah’s bloc fell one to 57.

It was an unexpected defeat for Hizbollah which had been expected to boost the influence of its backers Iran and Syria if it won.

Rami Khouri, of the American University of Beirut, said: “This was the first real victory by pro-American groups in the ideological battle that has defined this region in the last 10 years. Every time the US tried to help somebody in the region, it hurt them and they lost.”

A 25-year old software designer from West Beirut, said: “It was ‘you are either with us or against us’ before and both sides had this attitude. Now it is something in the middle with Obama and I think there is more freedom there.”

Walid Jumblatt, a leading member of the coalition known as March 14, said consensus was now needed to avoid the damaging conflicts that had marred Lebanese politics in the past.

“We voted and we still have faith in the project of the state and aspire for its success,” he said. “We must not isolate the others. Beware of the deadly mistake of isolation.”

Supporters of the winning coalition took to the streets to celebrate in East Beirut and there was celebratory gunfire in the northern city of Tripoli.

President Obama welcomed the result but told the incoming government that it must represent all sides of Lebanese society.

“Once more, the people of Lebanon have demonstrated to the world their courage and the strength of their commitment to democracy,” he said. “Commitment to these principles of peace and moderation are the best means to secure a sovereign and prosperous Lebanon.”

But Hizbollah yesterday warned the new government not to attempt to force it to turn its weapns stockpile over to the Lebanese army.

The militant group waged a devastating war in 2006 that left much of south Lebanon in ruins and killed more than 1,200 people as well as 160 Israelis, most of them soldiers.

It has since refused to disarm despite a post-war UN resolution that calls for all militias in Lebanon to turn in their weapons. It argues that its arsenal is needed to defend the country against Israel.

Hassan Nasrallah, the Hizbollah leader, addressed the Lebanese people via a video link from a secret location. While accepting the outcome, he tied the surrender of Hizbollah’s arms to reform of the constitution that would give his voters an expanded role.” I accept the announced results of these elections, with sportsmanship and democratic spirit,” he said, adding March 14 could not encroach on his movement: The parliamentary majority is different from the popular majority.”

Mr Jumblatt called on Hizbollah to “slowly but surely” incorporate its weapons inside Lebanon’s Army so that issues of war and peace rested solely with the state.

Senior Hizbollah figures sent mixed messages yesterday with one prominent MP acknowledging Lebanon had turned a “new page” while Mohammad Raad, its parliamentary leader said it would not cede its positions.

“The majority must commit not to question our role as a resistance party, the legitimacy of our weapons arsenal and the fact that Israel is an enemy state,” he said. “The results indicate that the crisis will continue, unless the majority changes its attitude.”