Kouyoumjian reconfirms his candidacy in Beirut I
Lebanese Forces candidate for the Armenian Catholic seat in the Beirut I district Richard Kouyoumjian said he was still running in the upcoming parliamentary elections until the controversy over his candidacy is resolved between the LF and the March 14 alliance, in which Future Movement’s candidate MP Serge Torsarkissian is running for the same seat. He said that the matter might be resolved in the coming days.
In an interview with al-Liwaa daily on Thursday, Kouyoumjian said that communications were ongoing between the LF and March 14, but were taking place away from media in order to preserve the majority’s interest and not to allow the March 8 coalition to issue claims that the majority has internal disputes.
The LF candidate refused to withdraw from the electoral battle, as long as the LF was supporting his candidacy and emphasized that his position was not against any of the majority forces or Torsarkissian. Kouyoumjian said his candidacy was a party decision in agreement with March 14 leaders.
Kouyoumjian denied claims that his party had offered a parliamentary seat in the Zahle district in return for his withdrawal from the Beirut I district. “The LF does not use this bargaining approach in any electoral district. It does everything on the table and not under it,” he said.