National Liberal Party announces candidates in Metn and Zgharta

BEIRUT — The National Liberal Party headed by Camille Chamoun announced Friday the names of two of its candidates in Metn and Zgharta districts ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15.

Here’s what we know:

    • In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the party announced the candidacy of its secretary general, Youssef Doueihy, for one of the three Maronite seats in the third electoral district of the North in Zgharta.

    • The party also announced the candidacy of Rachid Khalil Abou Jawde for one of the four Maronite seats in the district of Metn where he is expected to be allied with the Lebanese Forces.

    • In the 2018 parliamentary elections, the NLP was allied with the Kataeb Party in its stronghold of Metn. However, Kataeb is now running with opposition parties against the Lebanese Forces, with whom they were allied in 2018 in Metn and other areas.\

    • At the end of January, the NLP announced the candidacy of its leader, Camille Chamoun, for one of the Maronite seats in Baabda where he is also expected to be allied with the Lebanese Forces.

    • The party led by Chamoun also indicated in its statement that it will "postpone the [announcements of] candidacies in the other constituencies,” as it is studying the matter.

    • The upcoming parliamentary elections are perceived by a number of Lebanese as an opportunity to make a change in the ruling class who led the country to an unprecedented socio-economic collapse.