The 1968 Lebanese Parliamentary Elections : South Elections

Saida City district

The number of registered voters in this district stood at 19 395 of whom 12 527 or 68.1% cast their ballots, a relatively high turn-out that reflected intense electoral competition over one Sunni seat. Maarouf Saad gathered 6 469 votes, thus winning against his rival, Dr. Nazih Bezri, by 431 votes.

Kazem Solh who had presented himself as a “compromise candidate” faltered in his attempt and withdrew from the elections.

Qada’a of Saida district

The number of registered voters in the Qad’a of Saida stood at 28 021 of whom 17 995 or 64.2% cast their ballots, a relatively high turn-out that reflected intense electoral competition over two seats, one for the Shia’a and one for the Catholics.

There were two competing lists in Saida, the first including Adel Osseiran and Youssef Salem and backed by the Chehabis and the second including Abdul Karim Zein and Rashed Khoury (Phalanges) and supported by the former Speaker Kamel Asaad and the triple alliance. Osseiran and Salem won the electoral battle and the results came as follows:

  • Adel Osseiran (Shia’a): 8848 votes
  • Youssef Salem (Greek Catholic): 8561 votes
  • Abdul Karim Zein: (Shia’a): 8730 votes
  • Rashed Khoury (Greek Catholic): 83

Individual candidates:

  • Khalil Khoury: 774 votes
  • André Arash: 375 votes
  • Nazih Asaad: 495 votes

The victory of Adel Osseiran by only 118 votes against his rival Abdul Karim Zein was indicative of massive popular support for both lists.

Nabatieh district

Three Shia’a seats were allocated for this district, which included 38 208 registered voters of whom 54% or 20 630 voters headed to the ballot boxes. The competition was narrowed down to two lists, one backed by the Chehabis and including Rafik Chahin, Samih Osseiran and Imad Jaber, and one backed by former Speaker Kamel Assad and the triple alliance and including Abdul Latif Zein, Fahmi Chahine and Anwar Sabah. The Nabatieh elections were decided by a narrow margin and the results were quasi-equal with the first list winning two seats and the second wining one.

The results were as follows:

First list

  • Rafik Chahin: 10 529 votes
  • Samih Osseiran: 10 366 votes
  • Imad Jaber: 9669 votes (He lost against Abdul Latif Zein)

Second list

  • Abdul Latif Zein: 10 159 votes
  • Fahmi Chahine: 9717 votes
  • Anwar Sabah: 9421 votes

The individual candidate Adel Sabah received 1210 votes

Bint Jbeil district

Two Shia’a seats were allocated for this district, which included 30 640 registered voters of whom 55.7% or 17 070 voters headed to the ballot boxes.

Two lists contested the elections. The winning list included Said Fawwaz (8613 votes) and Ibrahim Shito (8077) and was backed by former Speaker Kamel Asaad while the rival list included Abdul Latif Baydoun (7114 votes) and Ali Abbas Khalil (6287). Individual candidates were:

  • Hussein Mrouweh: 1446 votes
  • Ahmad Majed: 1013 votes
  • Ghassa Sharara: 786 votes
  • Abdullah Oudaimy: 715 votes

Tyre district

This district had three Shia’a seats. The number of registered voters reached 39 522 of whom 23 611 or 59.7% cast their ballots. The two lists that participated in the electoral battle were:

  • A list headed by Mohammed Safieddine (11 399 votes) and including Ali Arab (11 205 votes) and Jaafar Sharafeddine (11 083 votes). The list was supported by the Chehabis and won in its entirety.
  • A list headed by Kazem Khalil (9309 votes) and including Youssef Rida (8238 votes) and Youssef Hammoud (6919 votes). The list was headed by the triple alliance but failed to win any seat.

Individual candidates were:

  • Ali Khalil: 2819 votes
  • Toufic Osseiran: 412 votes
  • Ali Ramadan: 297 votes
  • Jaafar Saegh: 225 votes

Jezzine district

Three seats were allocated for this district; two for the Maronites and one for the Greek Orthodox. There were 25 509 registered voters of whom 63.3% or 16 147 cast their ballots. The competition included two lists, one backed by the Phalanges, the triple alliance and Salem family and one by the Chehabis. The results broke down as follows:

First list

  • Edmond Rizk (Phalanges’ winner): 8025 votes
  • Victor Khoury: 7076 votes
  • Nicolas Salem (Greek Catholic): 7209 votes

Second list

  • Jean Aziz: 8093 votes
  • Maroun Kanaan (losing candidate): 7812 votes
  • Pierre Faroun (Greek Catholic): 7670 votes

The individual candidate Jacques Andraous amassed 531 votes.

Marjeyoun-Hasbaya district

The seats allocated for this district were four, two belonging to the Shia’a, one to the Greek Orthodox and one to the Sunni. There were 44 498 registered voters in the Marjeyoun-Hasbaya district, with 22 365 or 50.2% casting their ballots. Former Speaker Kamel , a staunch opponent of the Chehabis, Asaad was a key player in the Marjeyoun-Hasbaya district and his list won all four seats. Results were as follows:

  • Kamel Asaad: 13 289 votes
  • Mamdouh Abdullah: 10 720 votes
  • Raef Samara (Greek Orthodox): 11 787 votes
  • Ali Madi (Sunni): 9915 votes

The counter list was affiliated with the Chehabis and some leftist forces and consisted of:

  • Asaad Asaad: 9199 votes
  • Ibrahim Abdullah: 5593 votes
  • Iskandar Ghebril(Greek Orthodox): 10 290 votes
  • Suheil Chehab (Sunni): 5908 votes

Individual candidates

  • Ahmad Soueid: 4433 votes
  • Noureddine Noureddine: 3098 votes
  • Habib Sadek: 5256 votes 

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