Running for Parliamentary Elections in 2009-2013-2014 : Decline in the number of candidates and increase in that of uncontested winners
Number of Candidates
The number of candidates running in the 2009 parliamentary elections stood at 702 of whom 139 withdrew their candidacies. The number rose to 705 in 2013. This year, however, has seen the lowest number of candidacies at only 514, a decline that may be attributed to the fact that many prospective candidates have grown confident that the elections will not be held and thus have not bothered to submit their names.
Subsequently, the number of candidates contesting each seat is as follows:
- 4.6 candidates per seat in 2009
- 5.5 candidates per seat in 2013
- 4 candidates per seat in 2014
Uncontested victory
In 2009, three Armenian Orthodox candidates won unopposed. They were: Agob Baqradonian in the Matn district and Arthur Nazarian and Sebouh Kalpakian in the Beirut 2 district.
In 2013, Michel Moussa was the only candidate he won by acclamation the Greek Catholic seat in the Zahrani district.
Should the current elections take place, ten candidates would be returned unopposed. They are:
-Nabih Berri for one of the two Shia’a seats in Zahrani.
-Ali Ousseiran for one of the two Shia’a seats in Zahrani.
--Michel Moussa for the Greek Catholic seat in Zahrani.
-Mohammad Raad for one of the three Shia’a seats in Nabatieh.
-Abdul Latif Zein for one of the three Shia’a seats in Nabatieh.
-Yassine Jaber for one of the three Shia’a seats in Nabatieh.
-Ali Bazzi for one of the three Shia’a seats in Bint Jbeil.
-Ayoub Hmeid for one of the three Shia’a seats in Bint Jbeil.
-Hassan Fadlallah for one of the three Shia’a seats in Bint Jbeil.
-Neemeh Tohmeh for the Greek Catholic seat in Chouf.
This means that eight out of the 27 seats allotted for the Shia’a would be returned unopposed. The same is true for two of the eight Greek Catholic seats.
No elections would be held in the three districts of Zahrani, Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil as candidates would win by acclamation.
This means that eight out of the 27 seats allotted for the Shia’a would be returned unopposed. The same is true for two of the eight Greek Catholic seats.
No elections would be held in the three districts of Zahrani, Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil as candidates would win by acclamation.
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Most attractive districts
Mennieh-Dennieh was the district most attractive to candidates in 2009, drawing 11.7 candidates per seat. In 2013 and 2014, Zahle ranked highest among the most attractive districts with 10.4 and eight candidates vying for each seat respectively as illustrated in Table 1
Most attractive seats
Most attractive seats
In 2009, the number of candidates contesting the Greek Catholic seat in the Jezzine district was ten, followed by the Armenian Orthodox seat of Zahle with eight contesting candidates.
In 2013, the Sunni seat of Zahle attracted the largest number of candidates at 17. The second most sought after seat was the Shia’a seat in the same district which attracted 16 candidates.
This year’s registrations revealed that the Sunni seat of the Zahle district was also the most tempting, attracting ten candidates. The three Sunni seats of Akkar drew 27 contesting candidates.
Sects with the Most Candidates
In 2009, the Alawites and the Sunni were the sects with the largest number of running candidates (5.9 Sunni candidates per seat) followed by the Greek Catholics. In 2013 though, the Greek Catholics ranked first with 7.4 candidates per seat. This year, the Armenian Catholics and the Sunni registered the highest number of candidates per sect with five candidates per seat. The Shia’s on the other hand recorded the lowest participation with 2.5 candidates per seat as illustrated in Table 2.
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All in all, the following may be inferred:
-The number of candidates in 2014 is the lowest when compared to the number of candidates in 2009 and 2013.
-Ten candidates are likely to win unopposed, most of whom are Shia’a running in districts with overwhelming Shia’a majorities.
-The Sunni seat of Zahle attracted the largest number of contesting candidates in 2014, just as in 2013.
-By sect, the Sunni and the Armenian Catholics have the largest number of candidates per seat this year.
-The most attractive electoral district for candidates this year is Zahle.
-These conclusions show dynamism among the Sunni and demonstrate the significance of the Zahle district.
Scandalous numbers
According to a study conducted by Information International, the Lebanese have paid out of their own pocket a sum worth roughly LBP 400 billion (USD 266 million) for an inoperative Parliament. The amount paid during the legislature’s regular and extended term covered the salaries and remunerations of MPs, the salaries of Parliament’s staff, cleaning expenses, electricity and phone bills and the costs of maintenance and restoration at an average of USD 139,000 per day.
During five years and three months, Parliament convened for just 16 legislative sessions during which 218 laws were approved, meaning that the cost of each law stood at USD 1,200,000.
Parliament’s productivity during the past few years broke down as follows:
-2009 (starting June 20): zero
-2010: 57 laws in four legislative sessions
-2011: 69 laws in five legislative sessions
-2012: 42 laws in three legislative sessions
-2013: 2 laws in two legislative sessions
-2014 (until September 17): 48 laws in two legislative sessions
Foremost among the MPs who refrained from standing in the elections:
-MP Suleiman Frangieh who had usually run for Maronite seats in the district of Zgharta was instead replaced by his son Tony.
-Former MP Ossama Saad who used to run for one of the two Sunni seats in the Saida city district.
-MP Elie Kairouz who used to run for one the two Maronite seats in Bsharri.
-Current minister and MP Arthur Nazarian who used to run for one of the two Armenian Orthodox seats in Beirut 2.
-MP Joseph Maalouf who used to run for one of the two Greek Orthodox seats in Zahle.
-Deputy Sepaker of Parliament Farid Makari who used to run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Koura.
-MP Moueen Merehbi who used to run for one of the Sunni seats in Akkar.
-Former MP Nasser Nasrallah who used to run for the Shia’a seat in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
Foremost among the new candidates:
-Former Finance Minister Rayya El-Hassan who will run for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
-Minister of Justice Ashraf Rifi who will run for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
-Minister of Education and Higher Education Elias Bou Saab who will run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Metn.
-Former Minister of Labor Charbel Nahhas who will run for the Greek Catholic seat in Metn
-Former Minister of Culture Salim Wardeh who will run for one of the two Greek Catholic seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Labor Salim Jraissati who will run for one of the two Greek Catholic seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Tourism Fadi Abboud who will run for one of the Maronite seats in Metn.
-Former Minister of Culture Gaby Layyoun who will run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Tourism Ali Hussein Abdullah who will run for the Shia’a seat in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
-Former Minister Wiam Wahhab who will run for one of the two Druze seats in Shouf.
-Journalist May Chidiac who will run for one of the Maronite seats in Kessrouan.
Stark paradoxes
-The candidacy of former MP Abdul Rahim Mrad and his son Hassan for one of two Sunni seats in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
-The candidacy of former MP Emile Lahoud and his cousin Nassri Lahoud for one of Maronite seats in Metn.
-The candidacy of former MP Samir Azar and his son Ibrahim for one of two Maronite seats in Jezzine.
-The candidacy of former MP Ghanem al-Bon and his wife for one of the Maronite seats in Kessrouan.
-The candidacy of former minister Faisal Karami and his cousin Walid Maan Karami for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
New candidates on the electoral stage as MPs and former MPs refrain from standing in the elections The candidacies submitt
The candidacies submitted for the upcoming elections lacked some of the usual names of both current and previous MPs and were marked by the presence of first-time candidates. Foremost among the MPs who refrained from standing in the elections:
-MP Suleiman Frangieh who had usually run for Maronite seats in the district of Zgharta was instead replaced by his son Tony.
-Former MP Ossama Saad who used to run for one of the two Sunni seats in the Saida city district.
-MP Elie Kairouz who used to run for one the two Maronite seats in Bsharri.
-Current minister and MP Arthur Nazarian who used to run for one of the two Armenian Orthodox seats in Beirut 2.
-MP Joseph Maalouf who used to run for one of the two Greek Orthodox seats in Zahle.
-Deputy Sepaker of Parliament Farid Makari who used to run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Koura.
-MP Moueen Merehbi who used to run for one of the Sunni seats in Akkar.
-Former MP Nasser Nasrallah who used to run for the Shia’a seat in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
Foremost among the new candidates:
-Former Finance Minister Rayya El-Hassan who will run for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
-Minister of Justice Ashraf Rifi who will run for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
-Minister of Education and Higher Education Elias Bou Saab who will run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Metn.
-Former Minister of Labor Charbel Nahhas who will run for the Greek Catholic seat in Metn
-Former Minister of Culture Salim Wardeh who will run for one of the two Greek Catholic seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Labor Salim Jraissati who will run for one of the two Greek Catholic seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Tourism Fadi Abboud who will run for one of the Maronite seats in Metn.
-Former Minister of Culture Gaby Layyoun who will run for one of the Greek Orthodox seats in Zahle.
-Former Minister of Tourism Ali Hussein Abdullah who will run for the Shia’a seat in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
-Former Minister Wiam Wahhab who will run for one of the two Druze seats in Shouf.
-Journalist May Chidiac who will run for one of the Maronite seats in Kessrouan.
Stark paradoxes
-The candidacy of former MP Abdul Rahim Mrad and his son Hassan for one of two Sunni seats in Western Beqa’a, Rashaya.
-The candidacy of former MP Emile Lahoud and his cousin Nassri Lahoud for one of Maronite seats in Metn.
-The candidacy of former MP Samir Azar and his son Ibrahim for one of two Maronite seats in Jezzine.
-The candidacy of former MP Ghanem al-Bon and his wife for one of the Maronite seats in Kessrouan.
-The candidacy of former minister Faisal Karami and his cousin Walid Maan Karami for one of the Sunni seats in Tripoli.
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