Lebanon's Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi points towards a screen during a press conference as he announces final results for some districts in Lebanon's parliamentary elections, at the Interior Ministry in Beirut on Monday. (Credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)
BEIRUT — Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi announced parliamentary election results in the final three districts Tuesday morning, covering the Beirut II, North I and II districts. The races in these Sunni-majority districts were closely watched given Future Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s boycott of the elections, which left an open field for other Sunni politicians.
Faisal Karami — the scion of an influential Tripolitan political family — failed in his bid for reelection from the North. Karami’s father, Omar, served two terms as premier, while Faisal was youth and sports minister in Najib Mikati’s 2011-2014 cabinet.
In Beirut II, three opposition candidates — including Melhem Khalaf, the former Beirut Bar Association president — landed seats in Parliament, capitalizing on the Future Movement’s boycott of the vote.
Of these final 29 races, 17 seats are allotted for Sunni parliamentarians. An initial analysis by L’Orient Today found an apparent “Hariri effect” on turnout, with semi-final turnout numbers announced Sunday showing generally lower voter participation in districts with Sunni majorities.
The results are as follows:
Beirut II
Beirut II, which has 11 seats — six for Sunnis, two for Shiites, one for Greek-Orthodox, one for Protestants, and one for Druze, includes western Beirut.
The winners are as follows:
-Ibrahim Mneimneh, a Sunni newcomer to the Parliament, who ran with the “Beirut the Change” list, formed by Beirut Resists, Tahalof Watani, National Bloc, and allies in the opposition movement.
-Waddah Sadek, a Sunni newcomer to the Parliament, who ran with the “Beirut the Change” list, formed by Beirut Resists, Tahalof Watani, National Bloc, and allies in the opposition movement.
-Melhem Khalaf, who was elected to the Parliament for the first time running on the “Beirut the Change” list, formed by Beirut Resists, Tahalof Watani, National Bloc, and allies in the opposition movement. Khalaf won a Greek Orthodox seat.
-Fouad Makhzoumi, an independent Sunni incumbent who ran with his own list “Beirut Needs a Heart.” Makhzoumi was elected in 2018 to represent Beirut II. Makhzoumi is a billionaire businessman.
-Mohammad Badr ,who was elected to the Parliament for the first time running on the “This is Beirut” list backed by independent figures and Jama'ah al-Islamiyah. He ran in the 2018 parliamentary elections on the “Beirut al-Watan” list, losing with 854 preferred votes.
-Amin Sherri, a Shiite incumbent with Hezbollah, who ran with the “Beirut United” list, supported by the Hezbollah-Amal tandem. Sharri has served in Parliament since 2005.
-Mohamed Khawaja, a Shiite incumbent with Amal, who ran with the “Beirut United” list, supported by the Hezbollah-Amal tandem.
-Imad el-Hout, a Sunni linked to March 8 and a former MP in Beirut from 2009 until 2018, who ran with the “This is Beirut” list, supported by independent figures and Jama'ah al-Islamiyah.
-Adnan Traboulsi, a Sunni incumbent linked to March 8, who ran with the “To Beirut” list, supported by Ahbash and Beirut Families. Traboulsi was first elected in 2018.
-Edgard Traboulsi, who first won a Protestant seat in Parliament in 2018 and is a member of the FPM, ran on the “Beirut United,” supported by Hezbollah and Amal.
-Faisal al-Sayegh, an incumbent MP linked to the Progressive Socialist Party who ran on the “Beirut Confronts” list supported by the PSP and Fouad Siniora. Sayegh, who was first elected to Parliament in 2005, won a Druze seat.
North I
In North I, which consists of Akkar, candidates contested seven seats — three Sunni, two Greek Orthodox, one Maronite, and one Alawite.
-Walid Baarini, an incumbent MP who caucused with the Future Movement in the 2018 Parliament. Baarini won a Sunni seat running on the “National Moderation” list supported by former Future Movement members.
-Mohamad Sleiman, another incumbent MP who caucused with the Future Movement in the 2018 Parliament. Sleiman also won a Sunni seat running on the “National Moderation” list supported by former Future Movement members.
-Asaad Dergham, an incumbent parliamentarian and member of the FPM who ran on the “Akkar First” list supported by his party. Dergham won a Greek Orthodox seat.
-Jimmy Jabbour, a newcomer to Parliament who ran on the “Akkar First” list supported by the FPM. Jabbout won the Maronite seat.
-Mohamed Yahya, who was elected for the first time to Parliament on the “Akkar First” list supported by the FPM. Yahya won a Sunni seat.
-Sagih Attieh, a newcomer to Parliament who ran on the National Moderation list supported by former Future Movement members. Attieh won a Greek Orthodox seat.
-Ahmad Rustom, a newcomer to the Parliament who ran on the National Moderation list supported by former Future Movement members. Rustom won the Alawite seat.
North II
In North II, which is made up of the districts of Tripoli and Minieh-Danniyeh — there are eleven seats — eight Sunni, one Greek Orthodox, one Maronite, and one Alawite.
The winners are as follows for Tripoli:
-Mohammad Kabbara, an incumbent Sunni MP who caucused with the Future Movement in the 2018 Parliament. Kabbara, who was first elected to the legislature in 1992 and served as labor minister in Saad Hariri’s 2016-2019 government, ran on the “For the People” list supported by Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
-Ashraf Rifi, the justice minister in Tammam Salam’s 2014-2016 cabinet and a former Internal Security Forces head, won a Sunni seat running on the “Rescue of a Nation” supported by the LF. This will be his first term in Parliament.
-Elias Khoury, a newcomer to the Parliament who ran on the “Rescue of a Nation” list supported by the LF. Khoury won the Maronite seat.
-Ihab Matar, another new member of the legislature who ran on “The Real Change” list supported by Jama'ah al-Islamiyah, an Islamist party. Matar won a Sunni seat.
-Taha Naji, who will be entering the Parliament for the first time after running on “The People's Will” list supported by pro-Hezbollah groups. Naji won a Sunni seat.
-Ramy Fanj, a new entrant to Parliament who ran on the “Revolt for Justice and Sovereignty” list that was supported by opposition groups and the National Bloc. Fanj won a Sunni seat.
-Firas Salloum, a newcomer to the Parliament who ran on “The Real Change” list supported by Jama'ah al-Islamiyah. Salloum won an Alawite seat.
-Jamil Abboud, another new member of Parliament, who won a Greek Orthodox seat on the“Rescue of a Nation” list supported by the LF.
The winners are as follows for Minieh-Danniyeh:
-Jihad al-Samad, an incumbent MP who caucused with Faisal Karami and the Marada Movement in the 2018 Parliament. Samad, who was first elected to Parliament in 1996, won a Sunni seat running for “The People's Will,” list supported by pro-Hezbollah groups.
-Ahmed al-Khair, a newcomer to Parliament who ran on the “Lebanon Is Ours” list supported by former Future Movement members. Khair won a Sunni seat and is affiliated with the Future Movement.
-Abdelaziz al-Samad, another new member elected to Parliament on the “Lebanon Is Ours” list who is affiliated with the Future Movement. Samad won a Sunni seat.