Beirut - Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Seniora announced Tuesday that he will run for the Sunni parliamentary seat in Sidon, southern Lebanon, in parliamentary elections due on June 7.

Seniora said he would campaign under the slogan of "coexistence, reform, socio-economic development and improvement of living conditions."

He also pledged in a brief statement before entering a parliament session to "defend the freedom and sovereignty of Lebanon" and to "protect the republic and its constitution and safeguard Lebanon's right to liberate its territory."

Seniora called upon Sidon residents to support him, saying: "I rely on you, after God."

Seniora is a close ally of late former premier Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in February 14, 2005.

Lebanon last held parliamentary elections in May 2005, when the anti-Syrian ruling majority won a sweeping victory.

The elections in June will see a fight for votes between the Western-backed ruling majority and the pro-Syrian opposition which is led by the Shiite movement Hezbollah.(dpa)