MP Firas Hamdan, one of those whose election win was confirmed Wednesday by Lebanon's Constitutional Council. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/Archive)
In the run up to the election of a new president (the current presidential term ends Oct. 31), the Constitutional Council ruled Wednesday on five of the 15 challenges filed in June to invalidate the results of May’s parliamentary elections. The five challenges were rejected in rulings that confirmed the legality of the election of the successful candidates, all of whom are either close to the opposition or within the ranks of the Change Forces.
Much is at stake when it comes to the results of these challenges — whether those already decided or those to be ruled on — given that they may tip Parliament’s balance of power to the detriment of independent and opposition MPs and promote the formation of a new majority that is likely to elect a president close to the political status quo.
The opposition and protest movement, to which the MPs whose election was confirmed belong, thus met the first five challenges relief. In these circles, there were fears of political interference, aimed at reducing the number of the Change MPs to the advantage of unsuccessful candidates of the ruling class. The rejected challenges had been filed by the following candidates:
- Marwan Kheireddine and the MPs and candidates of the Amal-Hezbollah list (Mohammad Raad, Hani Qobeisi, Nasser Jaber, Ali Hassan Khalil, Ali Fayad, Qassem Hashem, Assaad Hardan, Hassan Fadlallah, Ayoub Hmayed, and Ashraf Beydoun) against Firas Hamdan (Druze), MP for the Oct. 17 movement, in South Lebanon III-Hasbaya-Marjayoun.
- Ibrahim Azar (Maronite, close to the Amal movement) against Saeed Asmar (Maronite, Lebanese Forces) and Charbel Massad (independent Maronite, Oussama Saad list), in South Lebanon I-Jezzine.
- Paul Hamod (Maronite, independent) against Elias Khoury (Maronite, Lebanese Forces), in North Lebanon II-Tripoli.
- Mohammad Mahmoud (Sunni, independent, on the list of Myriam Skaff’s Popular Bloc) against Bilal Houshaymi (Sunni, pro-Future Movement), in Bekaa I-Zahle.
- Tanios Mahfouz (Orthodox, independent) against Jamil Abboud (Orthodox, independent, close to Neemat Frem), in North Lebanon II-Tripoli.
The rejection of these challenges was decided unanimously by the ten members of the Constitutional Council, chaired by Tannous Mechleb, after a meeting that lasted several hours.
MPs Saeed Asmar, Charbel Massad, Firas Hamdan, Elias Khoury, Bilal Houshaymi and Jamil Abboud are thus keeping their seats. Asmar, however, will have to await the result of a second challenge, this one from former MP Amal Abi Zeid (Free Patriotic Movement).
Other rulings are expected by the anti-status quo camp, including those filed by Faysal Karami (Sunni, March 8) against three MPs: Ihab Matar ( independent Sunni), Firas Salloum (independent Alawite) and Ramy Finge (Sunni, protest movement).
There are also challenges filed by Wassef Harakeh (Shiite, 17 October movement) against MP Fadi Alameh (Amal movement), in Mount Lebanon-II- Baabda, and by Jad Ghosn (Maronite, Charbel Nahas list) against MP Razi Al Hajj (Maronite, LF), and MP Hagop Pakradounian (Armenian-Orthodox, Tachnag), in Mount Lebanon-II-Metn.
Challenges ‘devoid of any real substance’
Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, Asmar welcomed the council’s decision. “The Constitutional Council fulfilled its duty based on the laws in force,” he said, indicating that the leader of his party, Samir Geagea, was informed of attempts by political parties to interfere in the work of the body.
“In the end, the Council obviously did not respond to the requests,” Asmar said, hoping to win also against Amal Abi Zeid. “The challenges targeting me are purely political and devoid of any substance. They are not brought against my person but against the LF, to which I am affiliated.”.
Massad, close to Saida MP Oussama Saad, also paid tribute to Council members. “I don’t know the judges who delivered the verdict, but they did it according to the law, their conscience and their convictions,” he said, praising “their merit for not allowing interference.”
“All's well that ends well,” said MP Jamil Abboud who described the decisions as “fair and just.”
“We have a clear conscience,” said Mechleb. Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, he added, “It is in accordance with the law that all members have dealt with the legal issues raised,” he said.
Constitutional Council member Elias Mecherqani told L’Orient-Le Jour that neither he nor his colleagues were solicited by politicians. “Anyways, our judgments are proof that we do not listen to anyone,” he said.
For those who lost, the decisions of the Constitutional Council are validated. “Apart from our opinion, we abide by the judgments of the Council, which based its verdicts on the law,” said Qassem Hashem (Amal), who challenged the victory of independent MP Firas Hamdan.
It is unclear when the next results will come in. The president of the Constitutional Council gave no precise date. “Some points in the files prepared by some of the rapporteurs require further investigation,” he said, estimating that there should be a decision next Thursday on whether to publish the decisions in early November.
This story was originally published in French in L'Orient-le Jour, translated by Joelle El Khoury
