Koura Candidates Heat Up Campaigns for Sunday by-Elections
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri urged al-Mustaqbal supporters in the northern district of Koura on Thursday to vote for March 14 candidate Fadi Karam during the weekend by-elections as the rival candidates expressed confidence in their victory.
Karam stressed that the March 14 campaign officials are cooperating to prepare for Sunday’s elections.
He told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that he expects the residents of Koura to heavily participate in the democratic process.
“They are very eager and have already made their choice,” Karam told the radio station.
He confirmed that his chances of winning the polls are very high.
“We are optimistic… the numbers confirm that our chances are better than the other candidate,” Karam stated.
Koura is likely to witness a tough electoral battle on Sunday to fill the Greek Orthodox seat vacated by the death of Lebanese Forces MP Farid Habib in May as the March 8 forces sought to take a seat away from their rivals by announcing the candidacy of Syrian Social National Party member Walid al-Azar.
For his part, Azar said that this battle is decisive where the Koura residents will be able to express their genuineness.
“It is my duty to warn the Koura residents from the racist and extremist alliance of others that aims at dividing the country and forcing the immigration of the minorities,” he said during a rally for the March 8.
He pointed out that Sunday’s elections will win over the political money that “they” are using to take advantage of the poor people.
As the two campaigns heated up, Hariri said in a statement that “casting your votes in this election is the essence of the democratic process that we are working on implementing and maintaining in Lebanon.”
He noted that voting for Karam is essential to preserve the 2005 Cedar Revolution, its achievements and the principles that it’s holding onto.
“Voting for Karam on Sunday will be purely choosing the March 14 project, which is based on a democratic, Arab, sovereign, free and an independent Lebanon,” Hariri stated.
The Mustaqbal movement leader noted that the Koura by-elections are very important as they are held amid major changes in the Arab region.
“I trust that al-Mustaqbal supporters in Koura have enough democratic culture and national awareness to heavily participate in the electoral process on Sunday,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Jean Jabr Mufarrej, Naim Moussa al-Ojaimi, Youssef Assaad Skaff and George William Mattar have also announced their candidacies for the by-elections.
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