Koura by-Elections Official Results: LF’s Fadi Karam Won with 12,412 Votes
Lebanese Forces candidate Fadi Karam won the by-elections in the district of Koura with 12,412 votes while Syrian Social National Party’s Walid al-Azar was defeated by 1,271 votes, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel announced on Monday.
The ministry informed Speaker Nabih Berri about Karam’s victory during the polls held on Sunday to replace the Greek Orthodox seat vacated by LF MP Farid Habib who died in May, Charbel said.
Describing the elections as a “day of pride” and a “victory for democracy,” he hoped that the 2013 parliamentary polls would be held in similar circumstances, particularly in terms of security.
While both the March 8 and 14 alliances exchanged accusations of vote-buying, the minister said: “We haven’t received an official complaint about it.”
There isn’t any way in the entire world to control political spending, Charbel told reporters. “It is impossible to do so.”
Jean Mufarrej got 311 votes, 94 voted for Naim Ojaimi, while Youssef Skaff received only one vote and George Mattar got no votes in the elections that saw a 47 percent turnout.
Karam’s victory was seen by the March 14 opposition as a commitment by the residents of Koura to the alliance’s vision as the country heads to elections next year.
But the major struggle is yet to come as the opposition will try to clinch the parliamentary majority from the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces in 2013.
Asked about the one-month security campaign launched by his ministry, Charbel said he can be held accountable only if the state provides him with 50,000 officers.
He snapped back at his critics, saying the limited number of security personnel was a major hindrance to the implementation of the campaign.
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