General Election 2009
Links
Easter Scenes new
Tue Apr 14 2009
The Easter Sunday service at St, George's was reported by the Lebanese newspaper, As Safir, who said that Father Estephan Frangieh officiated at the Mass and that among the congregation was General Joseph Maarrawi, President of the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council. Also reported was the service at Saints Sarkis and Bakhous Monastery officiated by Father Nader Nader.
General Election 2009 (43) new
Wed Apr 08 2009
Depending on which website you read the number varies between 9 and 11.
For sure are: Jawad Simon Boulos, Estephane Boutros Douaihy, Youssef Sarkis (Bahaa) Douaihy, Sleiman Tony Frangieh, Assad Youssef Karam, Fayez Karam, Salim Youssef Karam, Kaissar Farid Moawad and Michel René Moawad. That's nine. To forestall "issues" we explain that when it comes to listing candidates we do so alphabetically - family name first then afterwards first name first, avoiding titles or orders of precedence.
Earlier we reported that Youssef Semaan Obeid, who we understand comes from the village of Alma in the Caza of Zgharta, was standing, although today his name was not mentioned on some news websites, so that's a possible ten.
Lastly, today certain news websites also mentions, Romanos Touma Boulos, who we do not know anything about, making a possible eleven.
That number, eleven, is supported by the website of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
What appears to be confirmed is that the current Member of Parliament for Zgharta Zawie, Samir Hamid Frangieh, will not be standing at the forthcoming General Election in any constituency.
NEWS UPDATE 09.04.09: The eleven candidates are now confirmed as standing for election. We understand that Romanos Touma Boulos comes from Aarbet Kozhaya.
General Election 2009 (42) new
Wed Apr 08 2009
The former Member of Parliament was born in 1952, Zgharta. He studied at the College des Freres Tripoli and the Jesuit University of Beirut, where he graduated with a medical degree. He is a member of the French Society of Surgeons.
He is married to Josiane Milad Al Ghazel Moawad and they have four children.
In the 2000 General Election he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Zgharta Zawie.
In 1989 he foundered in Zgharta the Co-Operative for Shoe Manufacturing and the Cultural House of Zgharta. In 1993 he was a founder of the North Lebanon Health Association. He is a member of the Lebanese Green Party.
His friends and supporters have created a Facebook group for him.
General Election 2009 (41) new
Tue Apr 07 2009
He now writes that according to the Ministry of the Interior & Municipalities, registered voters, including those living overseas, total 21,046, distributed among the five sectors of Zgharta.
To read the whole article go to the Full Story page.
Full Story
General Election 2009 (40) new
Fri Apr 03 2009
He has two older sisters, Maxime and Leyla and a younger brother, Salim, who is a candidate on the list of former Minister Sleiman Tony Frangieh. He is married to Amal and they have a son, Youssef, born in 1997.
The brothers are direct descendents of the famous nationalist Youssef Beik Karam (1823-1889), and whose parents are Youssef Beik and Mariette (née Tarabay). Their father, Youssef, was elected Member of Parliament with Hamid Kabalan Frangieh in the General Elections of 1943, 1947 and 1951 and in 1960 with Sleiman Kabalan Frangieh and Réne Anis Moawad.
Assaad Karam stood in the General Elections of 1968 and 1972. Salim Karam stood in the 1996, 2000 and 2005 General Elections. The main photograph of Assaad Beik is taken from his supporter's Facebook group.
General Election 2009 (39) new
Thu Apr 02 2009
The process for registration began on 2nd March and ends on 7th April. Today, Lebanon Files, online news website, has this morning listed the registrations for the Zgharta Zawie parliamentry constituency as:
Member of Parliament, Jawad Simon Boulos
Former Member of Parliament, Estephane Boutros Doueihi
Former Member of Parliament, Sleiman Tony Frangieh
Salim Youssef Karam
Michel René Mouawad
Youssef Obeid
We understand that Youssef Obeid comes from the village of Alma in the Caza of Zgharta. It would appear that Youssef Sarkis (Bahaa) Douaihy, who it is understood will also stand, has yet to register. As we reported last week, Brigadier General Fayez Karam, has already registered and whose registration document is featured.
Parliamentary candidates must register their intention to stand by 7th April 2009. The fees to register are: candidacy fee, two million Lebanese Pounds and election deposit, six million Lebanese Pounds (Article 47 of the Election Law). Candidates may withdraw their candidacy by 22nd April 2009 , in which case he/she is refunded 50% of the election deposit. (Article 52). The deposit is refunded to winning candidate's and or where a candidate receives at least 20% of the legally counted votes. (Article 48).
NEWS UPDATE 03.04.09: Youssef Sarkis (Bahaa) Douaihy registered his candidacy yesterday.
General Election 2009 (38) new
Fri Mar 27 2009
He has been described in the past as the North Lebanon Official of the Lebanese party, Free Patriotic Movement. It is not clear in what capacity he is standing as, but its leader, General Michel Aoun, confirmed on the television programme, Kalam el Nas, last night that General Karam was not standing as a candidate for the party.
General Karam was born on 17th October 1948 in Zgharta. He is married to Hind Kaadi and they have a son,Wajeeh and daughter, Mira. In the 2005 General Election he stood as a FPM candidate for the Maronite seat for Tripoli, part of the North Lebanon 2nd Consitituency which comprised of Batroum, Koura, Minieh, Tripoli and Zgharta Zawie. He received 75,408 votes of which his website says 19,700 were from Zgharta Zawie. In May 2005 he returned to Lebanon from exile and attended a rally of his supporters on 6th May 2005, photographs of which can be seen in the Galleria
His website is at www.generalfayezkaram.org
The Parliamentary Election Decree of 2008, provides that candidates must register their candidacy within sixty days of polling day i.e. before 7th April 2009. (Article 49).The cost involved to do so are, a candidacy fee of two million Lebanese Pounds and an election deposit of six million Lebanese Pounds (Article 47 ). The deposit is refunded to the winning candidate and or where a candidate receives at least 20% of legally counted votes. (Article 48). Candidates may withdraw their candidacy provided it is within forty-five days of the polling day. In such a case he/she is refunded 50% of the election deposit. (Article 52).
General Election 2009 (37) new
Tue Mar 24 2009
1. Apply for a new red Lebanese passport, subject to avaiablity, there being only some 7500 made todate, the Ministry will seek more to be made if required.
2. Renew expired red passports, the Ministry waiving the vetting requirements by the Directorate General of Public Security.
To vote you must still be on the Electoral List regardless, with the final checking process deadline for the List set for Monday, 30th March 2009.
The week after, 7th April 2009, sees the deadline for candidates to register their intention to stand (Article 49), with the 22nd April set as the date candidates may withdraw and receive back 50% of their deposit.
The Zgharta Zawie is awash with rumours whether the two main list will change or certain individuals will stand as independents.
General Election 2009 (35)
Wed Mar 11 2009
It has also announced that in respect of the Electoral List, which as we understand the extension does not apply to, its processing centres will be closed between 12th to 14th March 2009, to enable the list to be finalised by 30th March 2009.
General Election 2009 (34)
Sat Feb 28 2009
Key dates are:
10th March 2009
Objections and amendments to the Electoral List may be made up to 10th March. Thereafter the list is deemed closed on 30th March. To check if you are on the electoral list go to the Ministry of the Interior & Municipalities website: www.dgps.gov.lb.
7th April 2009
Parliamentary candidates must register their intention to stand by this date (Article 49 of the Parliamentry Election Decree 2008). The registration process begins on 2nd March. The fees to register are: candidacy fee, two million Lebanese Pounds and election deposit, six million Lebanese Pounds (Article 47).
22nd April 2009
Candidates may withdraw their candidacy by this date. In such a case he/she is refunded 50% of the election deposit. (Article 52). The deposit is refunded to winning candidate's and or where a candidate receives at least 20% of the legally counted votes. (Article 48).
7th June 2009
Election day.
The two main election lists declared so far for Zgharta Zawie are: (1) Former Minister and former Member of Parliament, Sleiman Tony Frangieh; former Minister and former Member of Parliament, Estephane Boutros Doueihi; Salim Youssef Karam. (2) Michel René Mouawad; Member of Parliament Jawad Simon Boulos; Youssef Douaihy.
On the political scene: El Marada - Australia, are holding its Annual Dinner on Saturday, who received a message from the El Marada's President Sleiman Tony Frangieh; on Youtube, videos of Michel Mouawad's recent visit to Sydney have now been uploaded; and on Facebook, a group has been created called, "Elias Makhlouf AKA George Makhlouf for Parliament (zghorta seat)", suggesting that Elias Makhlouf (also known as George Makhlouf), who lives in Miziara, will stand in the General Election as an independent candidate. We have asked for verification of his forthcoming candidacy.
The main picture shows a poster published by the Ministry showing the 27 Identity Card Registration Centres in Lebanon. In an interview with As Safir, today Minister Ziad Baroud said that his Ministry had received over 100,000 voter applications to register and that it is estimated that by 30th March, Lebanon's electoral voter's list will contain 3,200,000 names.
NEWS UPDATE: 28.02.09 The Ministry of the Interior & Municipalities issued a statement on Saturday saying that it has extended its deadline for accepting applications to issue ID cards to the 10th March 2009. This new deadline coincides with the Ministry's deadline for the electoral list.
General Election 2009 (33)
Fri Feb 13 2009
The Lebanese Government at cabinet last night, agreed to the issuing of 150,000 red passports to overseas Lebanese to facilitate their participation in the General Election.
It was reported in the Al Hayat newspaper today that the Ministries of Justice and of the Interior & Municipalities are considering allowing between 11,000 to 12,000 public sector, who will be supervising the election, to be able to vote in advance on Thursday, 4th June 2009.
It is believed that there will be up to 5,200 polling stations in Lebanon, one station per 800 voters, with two officials in attendance at each.
To check if you are one of the 3,156,400 registered voters visit the Ministry of the Interior & Municipalities website at: www.dgps.gov.lb.
General Election 2009 (32)
Tue Feb 10 2009
The Ministry is to be congratulated for the website which can be found at www.dgps.gov.lb.
General Election 2009 (31)
Thu Feb 05 2009
The Parliamentary Election Decree of 2008 provides that municipalities, mukhtars, muhafazat and caza centers should receive the electoral list by 10th February. Objections and amendments may be made up to 10th March. Thereafter the list is deemed closed on 30th March. The General Election is 121 days away, being held on Sunday, 7th June 2009.
So if you want to vote make sure you are on the list correctly. The telephone numbers of the Zgharta Zawie Municipal Councils can be seen from here.
General Election 2009 (30)
Sat Jan 31 2009
"The ministry said it had decided to issue only the blue model of Lebanese passports, which are printed in Beirut by the Lebanese Directorate General of the General Security, but embassies and consulates abroad kept renewing and issuing the alternate red model of Lebanese passports, which was out of print and almost out of stock. The ministry said that it will issue more red Lebanese passports if a decision is taken to print new ones. The ministry added that blue model will be replaced by a new RFID passport model that is in compliance with international standards.
The ministry also said that Prime Minister Fouad Siniora formed a committee headed by Secretary General of the Directorate General of the General Security William Habib to study methods to electronically link Lebanese embassies with the Directorate General of the General Security in Lebanon. The committee was tasked with writing a report, due next week, which will allow Lebanese emigrants to receive a blue passport by mail ten days after applying for one."
The Consulate General of Lebanon in Melbourne, Australia has the following notice on its website,
Until further notice the Consulate General of Lebanon can only renew the BURGUNDY passports for one year and the BLUE passports for one or five years.
The Consulate CANNOT issue a passport without prior approval of the Directorate of General Security in Beirut, which is only given in special circumstances. Upon receiving the approval the consulate will issue the Burgundy coloured passport to the applicant for one year only.
If an applicant needs to return to Lebanon urgently and his passport was either lost or unrenewable, then the Consulate-General will issue a Travel Document to the applicant valid for up to three months maximum and for one trip only.
We encourage all members of the Lebanese community who are travelling to Lebanon to acquire the new blue machine readable Lebanese passport.
As of June 30th 2006, all Lebanese nationals must hold the new magnetic Identification Card (ID). We encourage all members of the Lebanese community abroad to apply, upon their arrival to Lebanon, for the new ID. The Lebanese security agencies will enforce punitive measures against Lebanese citizens who do not hold this ID while in Lebanon. Lebanese Immigrants will be exempt from these measures on condition they apply for this ID upon their arrival to Lebanon.
General Election 2009 (29)
Sat Jan 31 2009
The Minister further said that his Ministry has at present 21 centres to process such applications, which takes between ten to fifteen days, and that a further six, which includes Zgharta will be opened next week. Such centres are in addition to the already existing system for President's of Municipal Councils to issue identity cards. It was further explained that applicants to the centres need not reside in the area of the centre.
Note that all those who want to go through the mayor to obtain their ID card can still do so, the new mechanism was an administrative addition to facilitate many of the formalities of provided that the citizen can turn to one of 27 centers that are on his place of residence, it is not obliged to go to his village or town of origin to submit his request.
It was reported in the Lebanese French language newspaper, L'Orient Le Jour, that when asked by a journalist who sought to "whether the dead will this year vote as is usual," the Minister said that not only do they no longer do so, but "not the living more vote more than once, suggesting that the electoral lists have been updated with great precision, so as not to allow this type of fraud that had marred the previous elections. Questioned on why the Ministry did not foresee similar centers in countries of immigration to allow some Lebanese to seek their identity cards abroad, the Minister said that this is the responsibility Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He further said that it was not possible to have the necessary mechanisms fully in place in the available time but they would be before the next elections.
The Lebanese newspaper, As Safir, reported in its Saturday's edition, the problem faced by some in Zgharta concening the issuing of identity cards due to the volume of applications. It would appear that the new Centre to be opened next week will relieve the pressure. The article can be read from the links: Arabic : English - Google. We will bring you the new Centre's details once known.
In the 2005 General Election the Ministry of the Interior & Municipalities declared that there were 67,056 registered voters: Zgharta 19,739 Zawie 47,317. Turnout was estimated to be 52.5%. Many commentators are saying that the Christian vote in Lebanon will be decisive in determining the composition of the new Government. The constituency of Zgharta Zawie returns three Maronite Members of Parliament. The Lebanese Parliament consists of 128 members, of which 64 are Christian and 64 are Muslim. Of the 64 Christian members, Maronite members total 34; Greek Orthodox 14, Greek Catholic 8, Armenian Catholic 5, Armenian Catholic 1. Protestant 1 , Other Christian 1.
We at zgharta.com believe that it is important that everyone who is entitled to vote should take part in the democrative process and urge those who will be in Lebanon on Sunday, 7th June 2009 to vote. Each person's vote is equally important - as an demonstration of supporting democracy; to give each elected Zgharta Zawie member of parliament, of whatever party, a clear mandate to speak on behalf of the Caza; to have a say in the composition of the next government.
General Election 2009 (28)
Tue Jan 27 2009
Such deadlines are in accordance with the Parliamentary Election Decree of 2008. It provides that candidates must register their candidacy within sixty days of polling day i.e. before 7th April 2009. (Article 49).The cost involved to do so are, a candidacy fee of two million Lebanese Pounds and an election deposit of six million Lebanese Pounds (Article 47 ). The deposit is refunded to the winning candidate and or where a candidate receives at least 20% of legally counted votes. (Article 48). Candidates may withdraw their candidacy provided it is within forty-five days of the polling day. In such a case he/she is refunded 50% of the election deposit. (Article 52)
The two main lists declared so far for Zgharta Zawie are: (1) Former Minister and former Member of Parliament, Sleiman Tony Frangieh; former Minister and former Member of Parliament, Estephane Boutros Doueihi; Salim Youssef Karam. (2) Michel René Mouawad; Member of Parliament Jawad Simon Boulos; Youssef Douaihy.
General Election 2009 (27)
Wed Jan 21 2009
The Lebanese newspaper, Al Diyar, who is perceived to be pro March 8th, earlier this week published an article on the Zgharta Zawie political situation. It speculated that possible other candidates could include former Member of Parliament Kaiser Mawad and Civil Engineer Riad Ghazeleh.*
We would add that neither has made official declarations of standing, but they and any other candidate have until 7th April to officially register their candidacy for the General Election to be held on Sunday, 7th June 2009. The Parliamentary Election Decree of 2008 provides that candidates must register their candidacy within sixty days of polling day i.e. before 7th April 2009. (Article 49)
The cost involved to do so are, a candidacy fee of two million Lebanese Pounds and an election deposit of six million Lebanese Pounds (Article 47 )
The deposit is refunded to the winning candidate and or where a candidate receives at least 20% of legally counted votes. (Article 48).
Candidates may withdraw their candidacy provided it is within forty-five days of the polling day. In such a case he/she is refunded 50% of the election deposit. (Article 52)
On another General Election related matter, readers should be aware that the Voter's Roll is deemed to be closed on 30th March of each year and remains in force for one year. Prior to such date there are various deadlines for voter amendments and such like. One such date is that municipalities, mukhtars, muhafazat and caza centers should receive the primary voter rolls by 10th February of each year. Objections and amendments may be made up to 10th March of each year.
The Lebanese Consul General in Sydney, Australia, Robert Naoum was interviewed last month on, Special Broadcasting Service Radio (SBS) in Australia, concerning the need for Lebanese Australians to register by 2012 to be able to vote in Australia for Lebanon's 2013 General Election. The interview - 10 Dec 2008 - can be heard from page 3 of the station's archive from here
* In a subsequent article they state that Mr Ghazeleh has contacted them to deny he will stand as an independent candidate.
General Election 2009 (26)
Mon Jan 05 2009
General Election 2009 (25)
Sat Jan 03 2009
The Lebanese national newspaper, Al Anwar, reported the comments on Saturday, which can be read from here.