BEIRUT — An electoral list named "The Unit of the North" in the constituency of North Lebanon III (Batroun, Koura, Bsharri, Zgharta) that includes Tony Frangieh, son of the head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, was finalized on Sunday and registered Monday at the Interior Ministry for the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for May 15.
Here’s what we know:
• The list includes eight candidates in a constituency with seven Maronite and three Greek Orthodox seats. Frangieh is a candidate in Zgharta alongside Estephan Douaihy and Carole Dahdah. In Bsharri, William Tawk and Roy Issa al-Khoury are the list's candidates. In Koura, Fadi Ghosn and Salim Saadeh of the Syrian National Social Party are candidates. Joseph Najm is the list’s candidate in Batroun.
• "This list brings together politicians and patriots who don’t seek private interest,” Frangieh said on Monday during a rally launching the list. "What unites us is what binds us to you and to the inhabitants of the North: faithfulness, righteousness and courage," Frangieh continued.
• "It is true that we have participated in all the governments of this mandate," Frangieh said in reference to Michel Aoun’s presidential terms." But we didn't cooperate and we opposed most of the decisions that led us to this collapse," he added.
• The constituency of North Lebanon III also includes the heads of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, and the head of the Lebanese Forces, Bassil Samir Geagea, both of whom, in addition to Sleiman Frangieh, are always considered candidates for the Presidential elections. Marada won three seats in Parliament in 2018, all of which are included in this list.
