Elections 2000 Chronology
(Last event First)

June 19

The opposition alliance achieved a sweeping victory in north Lebanon elections where they grapped the remaining 28 seats, thus accruing a 72-member majority in Lebanon's comprising the Future Tide Movement of Saad Hariri (36 deputies) the Democratic Gathering Movement of Walid Jumblat (15 deputies), the Lebanese Forces (6 deputies), Qornet Shewan (5 deputies), the Triploi Bloc (2 deputies), the Kataeb Reform Movement of Amine Gemayel (2 deputies), the Democratic Renewal Movement (1 deputy), the Democratic Left Movement (1 dputy) in addition to Solange Gemayel, Robert Ghanem and Nicholas Fattouch.

June 18

The Interior Ministry said 107 candidates will be competing over 28 seats in Lebanon`s fourth and last phase of general elections in its northern regions. A hot political battle is expected in north Lebanon Sunday. Results will determine which alliance will be commanding the majority in the 128-seat parliament. An estimated 690,000 eligible voters will have to choose among two main lists, including one led by the Future Movement of Saad Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in alliance with the outlawed Christian Lebanese Forces party. The second is led by the Free Patriotic Movement, led by firebrand Gen. Michel Aoun, who is allied with former interior minister Suleiman Franjieh, a Christian Syrian ally. Also among the candidates competing in north Lebanon is a representative of the pro-Syrian branch of the Arab Baath party.

Lebanon media described the campaigning in the last round of elections in North Lebanon, as "the ugliest form of sectarian campaigning the region has ever witnessed." It said the tension is likely to determine the identity of and the balance of powers in the future parliament. Residents of north Lebanon will go to the polls Sunday (June 19) to elect the remaining 28 members of the 128-seat unicameral legislative assembly. The other 100 members have already been elected in the first three rounds in Beirut and south Lebanon, Mount Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

After a series of speeches, the Saad  Hariri escalated his campaign to a new level by accusing his critics and opponents of sniping at the Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Kabbani, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Sunni community in Lebanon. A number of prayer leaders used the local mosques during the Friday prayers to urge worshippers to vote for the Hariri camp. The most controversial sermon came from Sheikh Taha Sabonji, the Mufti of Tripoli. His sermon sparked anger and consternation with some worshippers complaining about attempts to turn the mosques "into election centers for candidates."

Hariri is likely to fare well among fellow Sunni Muslims, who form more than half of the northerners. About 45 percent are Christians, but Shiite groups will stay out of Sunday's poll as hardly any Shiite Muslims live in the north. If Hariri falls short of a national majority, parliament be split into three main groups -- his anti-Syrian movement, the pro-Syrian group dominated by Shiite Muslim groups Hizbullah and Amal, and Aoun and his followers. That would likely result in bargaining and shifting alliances as the blocs jostle for influence over policy.

June 16-17

North Lebanon is turning into an arena for fierce election campaigns between two rival camps, one led by Saad Hariri and his allies, and the other led by former army commander Michel Aoun and his allies. Hariri has been in Tripoli since the beginning of the week, personally directing his election campaign. On Thursday ( June 16) he led a massive public rally where tens of thousands of people gathered "in a show of force" at the local Rashid Karami International Fair.

The rival candidates, led by Aoun, are due to hold a counter rally in the same place today (June 17). In addition to Aoun, the rival list includes Abdel Majid al-Rafi and former minister Suleiman Franjieh. Hariri backs the "List of Reconciliation and Reform", which includes the Future Movement, the Tripoli Coalition and some members of the Christian opposition bloc know as Qornet Shahwan. In a speech to his audience Thursday, Hariri called for efforts to "restore Lebanon and end the era of tutelage completely," a reference to Syrian hegemony over Lebanon. Sunday is the deadline, Hariri said. "Either the north will win or tutelage, the police state and corruption will return," he added. "Don't leave the arena to the new rebels."

In TV remarks last night, Gen. Aoun reacted to Hariri's earlier declarations by saying that Hariri's "biggest mistake is that he considers all Lebanese who don't vote for him as criminals." In a separate rally in the Koura region south of Tripoli, Aoun asked, "How can one who buys his way to power reform the state?" Opposition leader Walid Jumblat in separate remarks asked "How can one speak about reforms and at the same time ally himself with the symbols of corruption?" He added that the election battle in the north "is one against attempts to eliminate the Taif Accord," an allusion to Aoun's initial rejection of the 1989 agreement which silenced the guns of the civil war in Lebanon.

June 15

FPM Leader General Michel Aoun said Wednesday he would take the job of president if there was consensus on his goals and on pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud stepping down. "If the parliamentary majority agrees on my political program, if there is a consensus (on Lahoud's departure), I'm ready to become president on condition that those leaving be given an honorable discharge," Aoun said in an interview with AFP and Radio France Internationale. He also indicated he was ready to work something out with the opposition to help shorten Lahoud's mandate.

June 14

FPM Leader General Michel Aoun secured the backing of former prime minister MP Omar Karami and former MP Suleiman Franjieh before running for election in northern Lebanon next Sunday. Aoun and Franjieh announced Sunday, June 13,  the names of the candidates who will be running for parliamentary elections under their alliance in north Lebanon. The list, entitled "Popular Will List", will run in the second district in the north. It comprises 17 candidates for the seats of Tripoli, Zghorta, Batroun, Koura and Menieh. The Aoun-Franjieh list will be running against another supported by the Walid Jumblat- Saad al-Hariri alliance.

June 13

Mount Lebanon and Biqaa election ended Sunday, June 12, with the following results:

•  Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun, in alliance with MP Michel Murr and the Tachnaq Party, won all eight seats in Jbeil and Kesrouan, and seven of eight seats in north Metn. The eight seat, which was left vacant by Aoun's list, was won by MP Pierre Gemayel. The main losers were MPs Nassib Lahoud, Fares Souaid, Farid Khazen, Mansour Al Bone, and former MP Mahmoud Awwad.

•  Druze leader Walid Jumblat, in alliance with Hariri's Future Tide Movement, Hezbollah, The Kataeb Reform Movement and the Lebanese Forces,  won all eight seats in Chouf, and all 11 seats in Baabda Aley.

•  Hezbollah won all 10 seats in the Baalbeck-Hermel region, bringing the total of the Party's deputies to 14 (an increase of two form the 2000 elections).

•  MP Elie Skaff in alliance with Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun won six out of 7seats in Zahleh. the seventh seat went to Nicholas Fattouch who was the sole winner in the Hariri-backed list.

•  Hariri's Future Tide Movement won all six seats in Biqaa and Rachaya. Leading losers were MPs Sami Khatib, Abdelrahim Morad and Faisal Saoud.

June 12

In Sunday's third round of the four-phase vote, the first since Syria ended its near three-decade troop presence, a total of 1.2 million voters, aged over 21, were choosing 23 lawmakers -- 14 Muslims and nine Christians -- in the Bekaa and another 35 -- 25 Christians and 10 Muslims -- in Mount Lebanon, from a total of 262 candidates. Unlike the first two rounds which saw Muslims emerge comfortably on top, Christian candidates were expecting a close contest on Sunday, despite rifts in their own camp. Christians are at odds among themselves after former exile and prominent Maronite Michel Aoun decided to forge an unlikely alliance with pro-Syrian candidates. Aoun and his Free Patriotic Current is running opposite Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and his anti-Syrian multi-confessional ticket as well as against other Christian candidates. With 58 seats up for grabs in the Mount Lebanon and eastern Bekaa Valley districts, the shape of the next 128-seat assembly should become clear in the penultimate stage of Lebanon's first general election since Syria pulled its troops out.

June 11

•  Voters in the central Mount Lebanon and eastern Bekaa Valley constituencies will go to the polls on Sunday, June 12, to elect 58 lawmakers to the 128-member assembly. So far, 42 candidates has already been elected in the previous two rounds. The new parliament is set to decide the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, address the disarming of the Hizbullah group, reshape ties with Syria and endorse a new election law. Anti-Syrian factions are set to win a majority in the assembly, but groups allied to Damascus, like Hezbollah, are expected to have substantial representation. A list of candidates nominated by the pro-Syrian Hizbullah and the other main Shiite Amal movement grabbed all 23 seats in a landslide in the south Lebanon poll last Sunday.

June 10

•  Aoun said he was "very optimistic" about Sunday's polls, and predicted his movement will win more than 20 of the 29 seats they are contesting.

•  Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah urged supporters during an electoral rally in Baalbek to go to the polls on Sunday and vote for the joint list of Hizbullah-Amal. He said: "Voting for this list is a survey to show you support the resistance and its arms." Speaker Nabih Berri, the leader of the Amal movement, also urged people to vote, reiterating his support for Jumblatt's list in the Baabda-Aley, and saying the alliance with Jumblatt, Hariri, and Hizbullah was political alliance that will go even after the elections.

•  Former Minister Jean Louis Qordahai announced  an incomplete list in alliance with Maronite candidate Clovis Al Kahzen for the Kesrouan-Jbeil constituency. In a statement, Qordahi said, "what took place makes us almost sure a conspiracy was weaved against those who practice real change and reform."

June 9

•  MP Salah Honein bowed out of election race in the Baabda-Aley constituency, saying his long-time ally Druze leader Walid Jumblat has abondoned him. Jumblat replaced Honein by MP Abdullah Farhat in his "Unity of the Mountain List."

•  Backed by the Qornet Shehwan Gathering, the National Bloc, the Lebanese Forces, and the Kataeb Reform Movement, a list for the Kesroun-Jbeil contituencey was announced Wednesday, bearing the name of "the Unity of the Opposition." The list included the following:

Maronites: Current MP Mansour Al Bone (Kesroun), Current MP Farid Haikal Al Khazen (Kesroun), former MP Camille Ziadeh (Kesroun), Alexander Rizk (Kesroun), Shawki Daccash (Kesroun), Carlos Eddeh (Jbeil), Fares Souaid (Jbeil).
Shiites: Former MP Mahmoud Awwad (Jbeil).

•  Sitrida Geagea, wife of jailed Lebanese Foces leader Samir Geagea, announced wednesday, June 8, the Lebanese Force candidtes in Mount Lebanon and North Lebanon as follows:

Edmond Naiim (Baabda-Aley, Maronite), George Adwan (Chouf, Maronite), Eddy Abillamah (north Metn, Maronite), Shawki Daccach (Kesrouan-Jbeil, Maronite), Antoine Zahara ((Batroun, Maronite), Farid Habib (Koura, Greek Orthodox), Elie Karouz (Becharri-Dinniyeh, Maronite), Sitrida Geagea (Becharri-Dinniyeh, Maronite)

•  Metn MP, former Lebaese President Amin Gemayel announced wednesday, June 8,  the Kataeb Reform Movement candidates as follows:

Pirre Gemayel (north Metn, Maronite), Wadih Hajj, (north Metn, Maronite), Antoine Ghanen (north Metn, Maronite), Alexader Riz (Baabda-Aley, Maronite), Elie Marouni (Zahleh, Maronite).

July 8

•  MP elect Saad Hariri announce Tuesday, June 7, 2005, during a visit to Diniyyeh in north Lebanon, a list  backed by his Future movement and the Lebanese Forces. Dubbed the "National Unity List", the list includes the following:

Sunnites: Ahmad Fatafat (Dinnieh-Beshari), Qassem Abdulaziz (Dinnieh-Beshari), Mustafa Hashem (Akkar), Azzam Dandashi (Akkar), Mahmoud Awada (Akkar).
Maronites: Sitrida Geagea (Dinnieh-Beshari), ELie Kairouz (Dinnieh-Beshari), Hadi Fawzi Hobeish (Akkar).
Greek Orthodox: Riad Rahal (Akkar), Abdallah Hanna (Akkar).
Alawites: Mustafa Ali Hussein (Akkar).

•  Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader General Miche Aoun announce Tuesday, June 7, 2005, his list for the Kesrouan-Jbeil constituenc. Dubbed "Change and Reform", the list includes the following candidates:

Maronites: Michel Aoun (Kesrouan), Nimtallah Abi Nasr (Kesrouan), Yussef Khalil (Kesrouan), Dr. Farid Elias Al Kahazen (Kesrouan), Mrs. Gilbert Zoein (Kesrouan), Walid Khouri (Jbeil), Brigadier Shamel Mozaya (Jbeil)
Shiites: Abbas Hasem (Jbeil).

•  Current MP Elias Skaff announced Tuesday, June 7, 2005, his lsit for the Zahleh Constituency. Dubbed "the Popular List", Skaff's list, backed by General Aoun and the Tashnaq Party, includes the following:

Greek Catholic: Elie Skaff, Fouad Turk.
Maronites: Salim Aoun
Greek Orthodox: Dr. Camiile Maalouf.
Armenian Orthodox: George Qassarji.
Shiites: Hassan Mohammad Yaaqoub (son of Sheikh Mohammad Yaaqoub who disapperaed with Omam Mussa Sadr in Libya)

•  Current MP Sami Khatib announced Tuesday, June 7, 2005, a three-person list for west Biqaa. Dubbed " The Biqaa Resolve Renewal List", it included the following:

Sunnites: Sami Khatib, (one seat was left vacant for the second Sunnite seat)
Greek Orthodox: Elie Ferzli
Shiites: Mahmoud Abu Hamdan
Maronites: Seat left vacant.
Druze:  Seat left vacant.

June 6-7

Hezbollah-Amal coalition won all 23 seats in south Lebanon polls. Following are the results as announced by Interior minister Hassan Sabaa on June 7, 2005:

South Lebanon One: Sidon, Zahrani, Tyre and Bint Jbeil. 12 Deputies: Sunnis (2) Shiites (9) Greek Catholics (1).

Fact and Figures: Number of seats: 12, number of candidates: 12, Number of registered voters: 381,247, number of voters: 178,988, Turnout: 46.16 %.

"Resistence, Liberation and Development List"

Sidon-Zharani: Nabih Berri (Shiite, Amal Movement, number of votes: 153,036), Bahiyah Hariri (Sunnite, idependent, won by daefault), Osama Saad (Sunnite, Nasserite Popular Movement, won by default), Ali Adel Osseiran (Shiite, Speaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, number of votes: 152,593), Michel Moussa (Catholic, Speaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, number of votes: 152,705).

Losers:
Sidon: Riad Al Asaad (Shiite), number of votes: 19,646.
Zahrani: Hanna Abu Frahat (Greek Catholic, number of votes: 12,509.

Tyre: Ali Khreis (Shiite, Amal Movement, number of votes: 149,446), Mohammad Fneish (Shiite, Hezbollah, moved from Bint Jbeil replacing Abdullah Qassir, number of votes: 154,056), Hassan Huballah (Shiite, Hezbollah, number of votes: 151,964), Abdulmajid Saleh (Shiite, Amal Movement, replacing Mohammad Abdul Hamid Beydoun, number of votes: 151,114).

Losers: Iyad Al Khalil (Shiite), number of votes:12,293, Hussein Safieddine (Shiite), number of votes: 6,784, Bushra Khalil (Shiite), number of votes: 4,399.

Bint Jbeil: Ayyoub Homayyid (Shiite, Amal Movement, number of votes: 149,307), Hassan Fadlalah (Shiite, Hezbollah, new, replaced Mohammad Fneish who was moved to Tyre, number of votes: 152,539), Ali Bazzi (Shiite, Amal Movement, number of votes: 149,967).

Losers: Anwar Yassin (Shiite), number of votes: 18, 244, Naji Beydoun (Shiite), number of votes:9,776,

South Lebanon Two: Marjeyoun-Hasbaya, Nabatieh and Jezzine. 11 Deputies: Shiites (5) Sunnis (1) Druze (1) Greek Orthodox (1) Maronites (2) Greek Catholics (1)

Fact and Figures: Number of seats: 11, number of candidates: 23, Number of registered voters: 284,944, number of voters: 124,187, Turnout: 43 %.

Nabatieh: Mohammad Raad (Shiite, Hezbollah, number of votes: 107,853), Yassine Jaber (Shiite, Speaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, number of votes: 107,302), Abdullatif Zein (Shiite, Speaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, number of votes: 104,870).

Losers: Ali Hussein Hajj Ali (Shiite), Number of vo9es: 8,456, Hazem Shahine (Shiite), number of votes: 4,876, Kamal Hassan Wehbi, number of votes: 4,674, (Shiite), Talal Fayyad (Shiite), number of votes: 990, Ali Trabulsi (Shiite), number of votes: 234.

Jezzine: Samir Azar (Maronite, Seaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, won by default), Pierre Serhal (Maronite, independent, chosen by Hezbollah to replace George Najm, also a Hezbollah ally, won by default), Antoine Khouri (Catholic, Speaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, won by default).

Marjeyoun-Hasbaya: Asaad Hardan (Greek Orthodox, Syrian National Socialist Party, number of votes: 99,539), Anwar Khalil (Druze, Seaker Berri's Resistance and Development Bloc, number of votes: 106,953), Qassem Hashem (Sunnite, Lebanon Baath Party Branch, won by default), Ali Hassan Khalil (Shiite, Amal Movement, number of votes: 104,674), Mohammad Haidar (Shiite, Hezbollah, new, replaced Nazih Mansour, number of votes: 105,076).

Losers: Elias Abu Rizk (Greek Orthodox, number of votes: 15,737, Saad Mazraani, (Shiite), number of votes: 8,886, Ahmad Kamel Al Asaad (Shiite), Number of votes: 8,404, Abbas Sharafeddine (Shiite), Number of votes: 4,408, Izzeddine Shamseddine (Druze), number of votes: 3,338 Wilson Diba (Greek Orthodox), number of votes: 77, Kamel Ahmad Al Asaad (Shiite, announced withdrawal in a press conference), number of votes: 14.

June 6

The electoral list of the four-way alliance between Jumblat's Progressive Socialistv Party (PSP), the Futuer Movement of Saad Hariri, the broad-based Christian coalition of Qornet Shehwan , and the now defunct Christian milita of the Lebanese Forces (LF) announced Monday, June 6, 2005, the following list, dubbed 'Unity of the Jabal (mountain):

"Unity of the Mountain List"
A Hariri-Jumblat-Qornet-Shehwan-Lebanese Forces backed list

Druze: Akram Chehayeb (PSP, Aley), Ayman Choucair (PSP, Baabda), Faisal Sayegh (PSP, Aley, New).
Maronites: Fouad as-Saad and Henri Helou (Aley), Antoine Ghanem (Kataeb, Baabda), Edmond Naiim and Abdallah Farhat (Baabda).
Shiites: Bassem as-Sabeh (Baabda), Ali Ammar (Hezbollah, Baabda)
Greek Orthodox: Antoine Andraos (Aley)

June 4

Metn MP Nassib Lahoud announced an electoral list for the northern Metn supported by Qornet Shehwan Gathering and the Democratic Renewal Movement. The list includes Lahoud, Metn MP Pierre Gemayel, Wadih Hajj and Eddy Abi Lamaa for the Maronite seats. It also includes Qornet Shehwan Gathering member Gabriel Murr and Michel Akl for the Orthodox seats, Rafi Madoyan for the Armenian seat and Philippe Maalouf for the Catholic seat.

June 2-3:

Free Patriotic Movement Leader General Michel Aoun announced during a press conference held Thursday (June 2) at his Rabieh residence an incomplete list for the Metn electoral constituency, which included former General Edgar Maalouf, curent MP Ghassan Moukhaiber (Greek Orthodox), Ibrahim Kenaan (Maronite), Salim Salhab (Maronite) and Nabil Nicholas (Maronite).The list did not include candidates for the Maronite, Orthodox and Armenian seats. Explaining, Aoun said, "circumstances didn't allow us to form one unified list because of our alliance with the opposing list in northern Metn, which will be declared Friday.

June 1

In a press confernce held at Rotana Hotel in Hazmieh, Free Patriotic Movement Leader General Michel Aoun declared his list in alliance with Druze Leader and President of the Lebanese Demcratic Party Talal Arslan. The list left one seat open for a Hezbollah candidate, and included the following:

Druze: Talal Arslan (Aley), Issam Sharafeedine (Aley), Ghaleb Al Awar (Aley).
Maronites: Hikmat Deeb (Aley), Assad Abi Raad (Aley, LF, independent of Geagea), Shakeeb Qartbawi (Baada), Naji Gharios (Baabda), Pierre Daccach (Baabda).
Shiites: Ramzi Kanj (Baabda), one seat left vacant for a Hezbollah candidate).
Greek Orthodox: Marwan Abu Fadel

May 30

• Hariri's Beirut Decision List won all 19 seats in Beirut of whom 9 won by default. The results for the remaining 10 Seats were as follows:

- Beirut One: Saad Hariri: 39,499 votes, Ammar Houri: 30,741, Gebran Tueni: 30,591.
- Beirut Two: Amin Sherri: 31,859, Bahije Tabbara: 27981, Nabil De Freij: 27,364, Atef Majadalini: 26,163, Walid Eido: 25,123.
- Beirut Three: Mohamad Qabbani: 24,527, Ghinwa Jalloul: 23,731.

May 29

• Lebanon's Baath Party Chief Assem Qanso announced in a letter to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah his intention to abstain form running for the Baalbeck-Hermel constituency. The annoucement came amid discord among leading members of the Party, including Fayez Shokr, Ali Mahmoud Al Masri, and Fadl Murtada.

• Commenting, General Michel Aoun said the low turnout reflects the failure of the Hariri-backed list, adding that this outcome will translate itself on the results of other constituencies.

• Turnout: Interior minister Hassan Sabaa announced in a press conference held Sunday evening after closing the polls that the overall turnout registered 28 percent according to the following inofficial results:

Beirut One: Achrafieh: 17 percent, Saifi: 17 percent, Mazraa: 44 percent. Weighted average: 32 percent.
Beirut Two: Bashoura: 35 percent, Rmail: 11 percent, Msaitbeh: 37 percent. Weighted average: 31 percent.
Beirut Two: Mrafaa-Mdawar: 10 percent, Ain Mreisi: 34 percent, Ras Beirut: 24 percent, Zokak Al Blat: 24 percent, Mina Al Hosn: 14 percent. Weighted average: 21 percent.

Earlier, a UN official coordinating the mission of foreign observers told AFP that turnout in the first round of Lebanon's election on Sunday had reached about 27 percent two hours before polls closed. Counting of the ballots started after polling stations closed across Beirut at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT). "I was at the ministry of interior's operation room, and the latest figures I have received were 27 percent at 4:00 pm (1300 GMT)," said Vietnamese Nguyen Dong, coordinator of the mission of international observers."These are estimations, we have to wait for official results," he said.

• Polling in Beirut commenced at 7pm. While Saad Hariri and members of his list called voters to participate heavily in the voting process, active forces in Achrafieh and other areas of the Beirut One constituency called voters to abstain in protest of marginalizing the Christians in the current (year 2000) electoral law. As a result, voting during the morning hours in these areas registered a very low, almost negligible, proportion, especially among the Armenians, whose Tashnaq Party commands over 12,000 registered voters (about 70--80 percent of Armenian votes). Supporters of Christian leader Michel Aoun, who has not been included in Hariri's alliance, handed out stickers urging voters to boycott "the appointments" (as they describe the election). The Armenian Tashnag party, which is also disaffected over the backroom electoral deals, issued leaflets saying: "No participation without proper representation for all in Beirut."

• Beirut election figures:

Overall sectarian distribution:
780 balloting boxes were positioned in Beirut to allow 420,630 registered voters to cast their votes. Spread over Beirut's three constituencies, the overall sectarian distribution is as follows: Sunnites: 181,678, Shiites: 57,029, Armenian Orthodox: 47,169, Greek Orthodox: 42,287, Maronites: 24,711, Greek Catholic: 9,682, Syriac Catholic: 8,232, Latin: 5,822, Jews: 5,534, Syriac Orthodox: 5,246, Druze: 5,073, Armenian Protestant: 3720, Protestant: 3190, Caldian Catholic: 1364, Assyrians: 387, Caldians: 229, Alawites: 215, Adventists: 177, Caldian Orthodox 111, Bahais: 33, Evangelical: 8, sundries: 1.

Sectarian distribution per constituency:
1- Beirut One: Number of voters: 135,899 spread over Achrafief: 51,993, Mazraa: 74,340, Saifi: 9,566.
2- Beiut Two: Number of voters: 137,466 spread over Msaitbeh: 63,132, Bashoura: 45,262, Rmeil: 29,072.
3- Beirut Three: Number of voters: 147,265 spread over Dar Mreisi: 10,621, Ras Beirut: 30,062, Zokak al Balat: 42,663, Modawar: 41,789, Marfaa: 8,664. Mina Hosn: 13,466.

• Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Leader General Michel Aoun announced in a press conference held at Hotel Le Royal in Dbayyeh his movements reform program, which included 13 points relating to reviving constitutional and economic institutions, rehabilitating the administration, reforming the judicial system, protecting public freedoms, developing tourism, providing equalitarian health services, fostering Lebanese emigrants, attending to environmental and educational concerns, restructuring Lebanese armed forces, building the sense of national belonging, regaining initiative in the field of foreign policy. Aoun also underscored the need to set out a new electoral law that would be conducive to national integration, true representation, separating deputiship form ministerial portfolios, and liberating the economy for the domination of the public sector. He also called for setting out a reform plan for the judiciary system, liberating the information media from political funding and sectarianism, annulling the law of publication, reopening the MTV television station, inacting a plan to strengthen relations with Lebanon's Diaspora, adding a ministry for Lebanese overseas, consecrating the right of emigrants to voting and nomination. Contrary to expectation, Aoun said nothing about announcing the names of FPM candidates.

May 28

• At 5pm today, Free Patritic Movement (FPM) General Michel Aoun is expected to announce his electoral program and candidates all over Lebanon.

• Lebanon's Interior Minister annouced that Chouf candidates current MP Walid Jumblat and current MP Marwan Hamadeh has won their seats by deault.

May 27:

In Kesrouan-Jbeil, three electoral lists are in the process of formation :

General Aoun's List:
Kesrouan: General Michel Aoun (Maronite), MP Nimtallah Abi Nasr  (Maronite), Dr. Yussef Khalil (Maronite), Clovis El Khazen (Maronite), Joseph Abi Sharaf (Maronite).
Jbeil: MP Nazem Khouri (Maronite) or his cousin Walid Khouri (son in law of MP Geortge Freim), Chamel Mozaya (Maronite), and Bassam Hashem (Shiite).

Qornet Shehwan List
Kesrouan: MP Mansour Ghanem El Bone (Maronite), MP Fares Soueid (Maronite), Dr. Farid Elias El Khazen (Maronite), former MP Camille Ziadeh   (Maronite), Iskander Risk (Maronite, Kataeb Reform Movement).
Jbeil: National Bloc leader Carlos Edde (Maronite), Fares Souaid (Maronite), and Dr. Mahmoud Awad (Shiite)

Boueiz-Khazen-Hashem List
Kesrouan: MP Fares Boueiz (Maronite), MP Farid Khazen (Maronite), Gilbet Zouein (Maronite), Antoine Hakim (Maronite).
Jbeil: Former Minister Jean Lois Qordahi (Maronite), Emile Nawfal (Maronite), and Abbas Hasem (Shiite).

In Baabda-Aley:

Aoun-Arslan list
Aley: Talal Arslan (Druze), Hikamt Deeb (Maronite, Free Patriotoc Movement), Assad Abi Raad (Maronite, LF, independent of Geagea), Marwan Abu Fadel (Greek Orthodox),
Baabda: Shakib Qotbawi (Maronite), Naji Gharios (Maronite), former MP Pierre Daccach (Maronite), Ghaleb Awar (Druze), and Ramzi Kanj (Shiite), Salah Haraka (Shiite) or Saad Slim (Shiite).

Note: National Liberal Party Leader Dori Chamoun, in a surprise dicord with General Aoun, is expected to announce his Party's electoral list today.

In Metn, three lists are in the process of formation:

• The first would be based on an alliance between former president Amin Gemayal, MP Nassib Lahoud and Gabriel Murr and is expected to include Nassib Lahoud (Maronite), Piree Gemayel (Maronite), Gabriel Murr (Greek Orthodox), Rafi Madayan (Armenian Orthodox).
• The second would be formed by General Michel Aoun and is expected to include Edgar Maalouf (Catholic, FPM), Elias Zoghbi (FPM spokesman), Ibrahim Kannan (Maronite), Dr. Salim Salhab (Maronite), Nabil Nicholas (Maronite), Current MP Ghassan Mkhaiber (Greek Orthodox), and a candidate form the Tachnaq Party, .
• The third to be formed by MP Michel Murr and is expected to include Michel Murr (Greek Orthodox), and Hagop Pakradoni (Armenian Othoox, replacing Sebouh Hovnanian form the Tashnaq Party.

May 26:

In an interview Thursday with LBC's 'Kalam Annas' Program, Free Patriotic Movement leader General Michel Aoun announced that he will run in the Kesroun-Jbeil constituency. Expectations point to his intention to head a Kesruan-Jbeil list in cooperation with National Bloc leader Carlos Edde, MPs Nimtallah Abi Nasr and Mansour El Bone, Qornet Shehwan member Dr. Farid El Khazen, and Imad Haidar (for the Shiite seat in Jbeil). As to MP Fares Soueid, it was not yet clear as to whether Aoun will include him in his envisaged list. Media reports said Aounl was turning to Talal Arslan and Dory Chamoun for an electoral coalition in the Aley-Baabda district to counter Jumblat's alliance with Hizbullah, Hariri and Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces.

May 25:

• Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah announced Wednesday, May 25, 2005, in his Liberation Day speech that his Party is basically in alliance with defenders of Hezbollah's weapons against UN Resolution 1559. Jumblatt's presence in Bint Jbeil as "the guest of honor" does not necessarily reflect a political alliance despite Nasrallah's call on his supporters "to vote in mass" for the lists "commended" by Hezbollah. In the worse case scenario Hezbollah would to stay neutral in the Aley-Baabda district where Aoun has chosen to fight against Jumblatt. Hezbollah is expected to omit the names of all those suspected to support UN Security Council Resolution 1559 from Jumblatt's list for obvious reasons; omitting a name from the list, even without replacing it with another, would benefit Aoun's lists.

• Riad Al Asaad announced Wednesday, May 25, 2005, his electoral list in the South Lebanon One, which includes Sidon, Zahrani, Tyre and Bint Jbeil. Dubbed  "List of Change", Asaad's list, which is still incomplete, is supported by  the Communist Party, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Leftist Movement. The announcement was made during a press conference held at Asaad's residence in Sidon, which was attended by Communist Party representative Ali Gharib and several other political and social figures.

May 24:

Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Leader General Michel Aoun said Tuesday, May 24, 2005, he has split with top Muslim leaders, setting the scene for an election battle between him and his main opposition rivals, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and Saad Hariri, son of slain former premier Rafiq Hariri, a Sunni. Aoun told a press conference that Hariri and Jumblatt opposed his plan to name several of his own hand-picked candidates for Aley-Baabda, a mountain district southeast of Beirut. A source close to Jumblatt said the disagreement was over a quota for Aoun's candidates in Aley-Baabda,which has five Maronite seats, three Druze, two reserved for Shiites and one for Greek Orthodox Christians. "General Aoun wanted to appoint three Maronite candidates and choose the Orthodox candidate as well but Jumblatt agreed to let him pick only two Maronites," said the source who declined to be identified. Hariri also refused to allow Aoun to choose his own candidate for the Orthodox seat, which is currently held by Antoine Andraos, an MP from Hariri's parliamentary bloc, the source added. Saad Hariri's Future Movement also ruled out any election alliance with Aoun. Beirut MP Ghattas Khoury, who is allied with Hariri and was tasked with negotiating with the FPM said: "Talks are over."

May 23:

In a meeting held Monday, May 23, 2005, between representatives of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movemnet (FPM), and representatives of Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party ( PSP) and Hariri's Future Movement, a proposal was made to General Aoun offering him eight seats within the opposition coalition in joint electoral areas, provided General Aoun reaches agreements with the concerned parties in the opposition regarding these seats:

• One Greek Orthodox seat in Akkar: Abdullah Hanna
• One Maronite seat in Tripoli: Gebran Bassil (to avoid conflict with the  Lebanese Forces which
   nominates Toni Zahar in Batroun).
• One Greek Orthodox seat in Koura: Salim Azar
• One Maronite seat in Zgharta: Fayez Karam (who will be the third with Nayla Moawad and Samir
   Franjieh).
• Two Maronite seats in Baabda-Aley: Unspecified
• One Maronite Seat in Westerb Biqaa: Elias Ferzli

General Aoun rejected this offer during a press conference held Tuesday, May 24, 2005.