Checkpoints will be staffed with more than 25,000 security personnel

By Leila Hatoum
Special to The Daily Star

Three days before the municipal elections in Mount Lebanon, coalitions are still forming, and while some unopposed lists have already been declared triumphant, others have been faced with prominent withdrawals.

One of the most significant departures is probably that of Antoine Khoury, a candidate running for a seat in the Shiyah municipal council, who withdrew in favor of the list supported by current Mayor Edmond Gherius.

Gherius, who is also the son-in-law of former Interior Minister Michel Murr said that "Khoury withdrew from the elections because he believed that the list holds wide representation for Shiyah." He added that he doesn't expect support for any individual candidate on the list to be variable. "I don't think that there will be a big voting difference between the first and the last name in the list," he said.

In the Hadath area, the Liberal Party's (LP) branch denied what was said about it being represented in the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) list "Solidarity of Hadath Youth." The party's branch said that two free candidates will represent the Liberal Party in Hadath.

Georges Haddad, FPM's candidate in Hadath said that the FPM list is 100 percent represented by opposition parties. "The LP is represented in our list as well, through Georges Najem," said Haddad. "We expect the municipal battle to be fierce, but we are hoping for the best since Hadath is considered an area (supportive of) FPM," Haddad added.

On the other hand, with most of Beirut's southern suburb lists complete, the "Ghobeiry Families" list, supported by Amal, will be the main opponent for Hizbullah-endorsed list "The Sons of Ghobeiry."

Hizbullah's other lists "Sons of Bourj al-Barajneh" and "Sons of Haret Hreik" are opposed either by Amal-supported lists such as "Al-Borj Families" or independent candidates.

As for the elections, a source close to the Internal Security Forces (ISF) said that all the electoral boxes were delivered to the cazas and will be distributed Saturday afternoon on the electoral posts. "Strict measures will be taken throughout the election process," said the source, as he explained that security check points will be staffed by up to 25,000 ISF and army soldiers to keep elections safe in all the areas. "A special ISF committee (has been) organized to review complaints from voters and candidates during the elections," the source said.

Eligible electors are to vote throughout 303 localities in Mount Lebanon to choose their candidates for the municipal and mayoral elections that are due on Sunday, April 2.