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General Election 2009 (21)

Although there have been in recent times two main candidate lists - headed by Former Ministers, Sleiman Tony Frangieh and Mrs. Nayla René Moawad respectively, for Zgharta Zawie in the General Elections, there have always been other candidates standing for election, the "also runs".

The reason for these "also runs" standing is a matter of conjecture. Whether it was to demonstrate their poltical stance at the time, to put down a marker for future elections, or to test and show the level of local support to others, are possible reasons. What is perhaps more pertinent to ask is why it seems that their standing was strange in itself, the implication being that their standing was futile, against the odds, when their defeat was certain. Should democracy be that certain ?

We believe that the unelected, whether on losing lists or "also runs", are the guardians of democracy, ensuring that the elected are answerable for their actions next time round. The electorate has the power of the ballot to judge the elected but without alternative candidates the electorate is powerless to change their representatives. The elected should fear the unelected.

The "also runs" have a role in democracy. They democractise democracy. At the ballot box all candidates are equal.

What it takes to stand

Under the 2000 Election Law a candidate who wished to stand for election needed to make a declaration certified by a notary public and signed personally by him/her, stating the qada or the region in which he/she wanted to stand for. At the same time, he/she had to deposit the sum of 10 million L.P ($ 6,614 US) with the Lebanese Treasury. The declaration to stand had also to be lodge with the Ministry of the Interior at least 15 days before the election date. The deposit was refundable where either the candidate won or received 10% or more of the votes in the electoral district he/she stood for. The candidate was not allowed to withdraw his/her candidature unless by a declaration certified by a notary public. Such declaration had to be lodged with Ministry of the Interior at least 10 days before the election date. If such withdrawal led to there being less candidates for the allocated number of Members of Parliament, new candidates were allowed to be submitted at least 3 days before the election date. Every candidate, who withdraw his/her candidature according to such provisions, was entitled to be refunded one half of the above deposit. We hope to be able to put online soon the 2008 Election Law.

Elections past

This is a summary of elections from the early 20th Century to the beginning of the 21st Century in Zgharta Zawie.

In the 1934 General Election there were initially ten candidates for Zgharta Zawie: Farid Antoun, Jawad Semaan Boulos, Emile Doueihi, Hamid Kabalan Frangieh, Kabalan Frangieh, Dr. Shaker Frangieh, Boutros Bechara Karam, Youssef Salim Karam, Anis Mawad, Philippe Torbey. All save for Hamid Kabalan Frangieh withdrew their candidacy, leaving Hamid Kabalan Frangieh to be elected uncontested with 21,002 votes.

In the General Elections of 1937, 1943, 1947, there was only one constituency for North Lebanon, and we have not discovered the names of any unelected candidates, if anythere was.

For the 1951, there were three constituencies for North Labanon, one being for the the Cazas of Zgharta, Koura, Besharri and Batroun. Those candidates for Zgharta who were not elected included, Fouad Doueihi , René Anis Mouawad, Jawad Boulos and Boutros Torbey.

In 1953 General Election, there was a single constituency for Zgharta Zawie, returning one Member of Parliament. There were two candidates, Hamid Kabalan Frangieh (elected with 7,522 votes) and Youssef Karam (unelected 4,054).

The 1957 General Election saw two Members of Parliament elected for Zgharta Zawie, Hamid Kabalan Frangieh (6,189 votes) and René Anis Moawad (6,151). The unelected candidates were Youssef Karam (4,936) and Fr.Semaan Doueihi (4,910).

In the 1960 General Election, Zgharta Zawie returned three Members of Parliament, which remains the case up to now. The unelected candidates were: Fr.Semaan Doueihi (5,373) and Emile Doueihi, who withdrew his candidacy prior to the election. The latter died in the 1970's, he is the brother of the late Fouad Doueihi, who lead the Doueihi family in the 1940's and 1950's.

The General Election of 1964 had seven candidates, those unelected were: Simon Boulos (2,785); Youssef Karam (2,759); and Milad Yammine (547), who died last year. He was an civil engineer graduating from the Ecole Nationale Des Ponts et Chausses, Paris. In the 1960's he proposed a dam in Zgharta at the Joiit River.

Elia Hdayyed was another candidate, withdrawing his candidacy prior to the election. He is from Byader Rachine and he and his sons own an argro-food factory for potato products in Mejdlaya.

1968 saw Assaad Youssef Karam unelected (5,027).

1972 saw six candidates stand for election. Those unelected were: Assaad Youssef Karam (4,592), Kabalan Hamid Frangieh (4,410) and Simon Boulos (3,084). Kabalan is the eldest brother of Member of Parliament Samir Hamid Frangieh.

In the 1992 General Election there were six candidates. Those not elected were Kaisar Farid Moawad (34,265); Tony Hector Frangieh (9,831); Toufic Youssef Moawad (3,798).

Of them:Tony Hector Frangieh is of the Ghaleb Frangieh family; Toufic Youssef Moawad, is from the branch of his paternal great great grandfather, Hana Moawad, one of the sons of Mikhail Moawad (another son, Ignatius, is the root of the Michel René Moawad branch).

There were eleven candidates in the 1996 General Election. Those unelected were: Kaissar Farid Moawad (63,369); Salim Youssef Karam (61,815); Robert Farid Boulos (39,215); Samir Hamid Frangieh (31,949); Toufic Youssef Moawad (25,969); Talal Mohsen Doueihi (7,189); Tony Hector Frangieh (5,436); Assaad Suleiman Bolous Makari(4,987).

Of them: Salim Youssef Karam is a direct descendent of the famous nationalist Youssef Bey Karam (1823-1889). His parents are Youssef Bey and Mariette (née Tarabay). His father was a Member of Parliament. He is married to Marina Nabih Chammas and they have two daughters; Robert Farid Boulos is the brother of the late Simon Boulos, the father of the present Member of Parliament Jawad Simon Bolous; Talal Mohsen Doueihi is of the Abou Saleh branch of the Doueihi family; Assaad Sleiman Bolous Makari is the son of Sleiman Boulos who is the brother of Farid Bolous who is the father of Simon and Robert Boulos.

The 2000 General Election saw the constituency of Zgharta merge into the 2nd Constituency of North Lebanon comprising of Zgharta, Tripoli, Menieh, Batroun, Koura, but still returning three Members of Parliament. The figures given are those of the whole constituency. The unelected candidates for Zgharta were: Estephan Doueihi (55,201); Salim Karam (42,881); Youssef Sarkis Doueihi (33,563); Ziad Makari (10,917); Robert Boulos (7,800); Boutros Maroun Doueihi (595).

Of them: Ziad Makari, an architect by profession is the son of General Theodore Makari, the former Chief of Police; Boutros Maroun Doueihi, an lawyer by profession and a member of the Maroun branch of the Doueihi family.

The last General Election in 2005 was held with a similar constituency. Those unelected candidates were: Sleiman Tony Frangieh (82,670); Estephan Doueihi (68,042); Salim Karam (65,325); Kaissar Farid Moawad (6,700). Youssef Doueihi withdrew his candidacy prior to the election. He is the great nephew of Fr. Semaan Doueihi. The figures given are of the whole constituency.

Once the 2009 General Election is announced, zgharta.com, will feature all declared candidates and give them the opportunity to state their manifesto.

Editor's Note: We have not profiled those candidates who have been elected. Sources: Voting figures - Liban Vote. WANTED - researcher.

Submitted by: zgharta.com team
Added: Fri Oct 24 2008
Last Modified: Wed Oct 29 2008

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