Shamaluna's launch ceremony in November 2021. (Credit: Shamaluna Facebook page)
BEIRUT — Shamaluna, an alliance of independent groups in North Lebanon, registered its list of parliamentary candidates in the Interior Ministry on Monday, the state-run National News Agency reported. This is the first electoral list of independents to register in the North III district for the May 15 parliamentary elections.
Here’s what we know:
• The list includes: Layal Bou Moussa and Rabih el-Chaer running in Batroun; Riad Tawk and Kozhayya Sassine in Bcharre; Simon Bchawati and Jihad Farah in Koura; and Chaden el-Daif, Michel Doueihy and Gistelle Semaan in Zgharta.
• A primary election conducted by Shamaluna contributed to forming the list before the candidate's registration phase was over. Candidates from seven opposition groups along with independent candidates took part in the primaries.
• In February, Shamaluna’s co-founder, Bechara Gerges, explained that holding a primary election was “to firstly give the citizens the right to decide who participates in their battles and, secondly, to provide a platform for them to decide who is better for such a mission.”