Hezbollah political activities the Lebanese general election of 2005, it won 14 seats nationwide (of 128 total), and an Amal-Hezbollah alliance won all 23 seats in Southern Lebanon. The bloc it forms with others, the Resistance and Development Bloc, took 27.3% of the seats. Also,when municipal elections were held in 1998 this party won control of about 15 percent of contested municipalities. With a proven track record by the second round of elections, in spring 2004, the party won control of 21 percent of the municipalities. Hezbollah is a minority partner in the Siniora Cabinet, holding two (and endorsing a third) cabinet positions
Bayt al-Mal (Hezbollah) Company for Finance and Investment to secure loans and finance business deals for Hezbollah companies. According to Mr. Stuart Levey, U.S. Department of Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI),"Bayt al-Mal functions as Hezbollah's unofficial treasury, holding and investing its assets and serving as intermediaries between the terrorist group and mainstream banks." The central headquarters of Bayt al-Mal was located in Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs. Bayt al-Mal (Hezbollah) Hezbollah Bayt al-Mal, AKA Hezbollah Bayt al-Mal Lil Muslimeen, is a Hezbollah-controlled organization that performs financial services for the organization. In Arabic, the term is used as "House