Various Parties to Issue Candidates List Soon
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun is to announce his party”s candidate list for the Aley and Shouf region on Saturday.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Mekari is to announce his list for the Koura region, while MP Butros Harb is getting ready to declare his list with Mp Antoine Zahra in the Batroun next Saturday.
MP Michel Murr is to declare his list following Easter Sunday [past April 20th].
The Phalange Central Committee Coordinator Sami Gemayel was quoted saying by the daily An-Nahar that the Metn list is 99% ready. The list is known to include Gemayel, Michel Murr, Nasib Lahoud, Elie Karame, Eddy Abi Lameh, Sarkis Sarkis, Elias Mukhaiber.
The Armenian candidate for the Orthodox seat in the Metn was won uncontested by Hagop Pakradounian.
Gemayel said that none of the candidates has withdrawn from the race.
"There are no differences of opinion between the Lebanese Forces and us or with other allies among the March 14 Forces," Gemayel said.
He added that the formation of lists for the Keserouan and Jebeil regions would need sometime, "not due to the lack of consensus among March 14 Forces, but because this has to do with some independent and local figures. The issue might take a week… what is important is the fact that discussions are underway."
Gemayel pointed that for the Shouf, Aley, Batroun and Ashrafieh regions March 14 Forces lists are ready.
Informed March 14 Forces told An-Nahar that support among local families in Keserouan is growing as the Lebanese Forces and the Phalange Party have both supported National Bloc Party leader Carlos Edde.
As for the Jebeil region sources said that supporters of President Michel Suleiman are cautious, as the president is keen on distancing himself away from the parliamentary race.
Sources added that March 14 Forces are engaging their political machinery in the Shouf, Aley and Baabda and seem not depend on winning any uncontested seats in Aley that could later carry a high political cost.
Sources from the March 8 Forces confirmed that former Parliament Speaker Hussein al Husseini has been informed by Hizbullah that he won”t be on the party”s list at the Northern Bekka. Former MP Assem Qansou could replace Husseini.
The daily Ad-Diyar said on Saturday that Husseini refused to join the March 8 Forces list in the Hirmil-Baalbek region because the list did not include Albert Mansour.
The daily al-Akhbar said that Shiite seat in the Baalbek-Hirmil region would possibly go to a Baath party candidate, or could be reverted to a possible settlement between Speaker Berri and MP Aoun regarding Jizzine-Baabda.
Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah explained in a televised message on Friday that the understanding with Speaker Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun remains except for the Jizzine and Baabda regions.