Date: Mar 15, 2018 Source: The Daily Star Lebanon: LF announce 19 candidates, 20 allies on their lists BEIRUT: The Lebanese Forces Wednesday announced candidate lists for the upcoming parliamentary elections during a glitzy event that coincided with the anniversary of the formation of the now-defunct March 14 movement 13 years ago. “March 14 is staying, it is freedom, it is the future of generations,” LF head Samir Geagea said in a speech during the event. “It was born with history and will not end until [history] ends, [The March 14 movement] ends when Lebanon ends and Lebanon ends when history ends and since history won’t end, March 14 is remaining and we are continuing,” he said. The movement was formed in response to Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination on Feb. 14, 2005, and in an effort end Syria’s occupation of Lebanon. The names announced Wednesday include 20 candidates allied with the LF who will be on their electoral lists and 19 party members. Geagea urged voters not to cast ballots for any list that includes candidates who cover for Hezbollah’s presence and actions in Lebanon. Of Lebanon’s three main news channels, MTV was the only one to cover the entire event from beginning to end, while Al-Jadeed and LBCI did not broadcast any footage at all. MTV’s nightly news anchor Fadi Chahwan himself announced all of the LF’s candidates on stage and Jessica Azar, who also anchors on MTV, was named as one of the LF-allied candidates. LF’s Candidates include: Riad Akel for the Christian Minorities seat in Beirut 1 Mario Sebaaini for the Maronite seat in Zgharta Ajaj Haddad for the Catholic seat in Jezzine Elie Lahoud for the Maronite seat in Western Bekka Joseph Ishak for the Maronite seat in Bsharre George Aakis for the Catholic seat Zahle Antoine Habshi for the Maronite seat in Baalbeck-Hermel Shawki Al-Dikash for the Maronite seat in Kesrouan Fadi Salameh for the Roman Orthodox seat in Marjayoun-Hasbaya Anis Nssar for the Druze seat in in Ale Ziad El Hawat for the Maronite seat in Jbeil Fadi Saad for the Maronite seat in Batroun Imad Wakim for the Roman Orthodox seat in Beirut 1 Retired Lebanese Army Gen. Wehbe Qadisha for the Roman orthodox seat in Akkar Majed Abi lamaa for the Maronite seat in Metn Fadi Karam for a Roman Orthodox seat in Koura Social Affairs Minister Pierre Bou Assi for the Maronite seat in Baabda Strida Geagea for the Maronite seat in Bcharre George Adwan for the Maronite seat in Chouf The candidates allied with LF include: Minister of State for Planning Affairs Michel Pharaon for a Roman Catholic seat in Beirut 1 Avedis Dakisian for an Armenian Orthodox seat in Beirut 1 Michel Mktaf for a Roman Catholic seat in Metn Fadi Rohana Saqr for a Maronite seat in Jbeil Cesar Maalouf for a Roman Orthodox seat in Zahle Salim Klas for the Roman Catholic seat in Baalbeck-Hermel Michel Fattoush for a Roman Catholic seat in Zahle Jean Talouzian for an Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut 1 Razi al-Hajj for a Maronite seat in Metn Jizelle Hashim Zard for a Maronite seat in Metn Alina Koulounsian for an Armenian Orthodox seat in Beirut 1 Lina Moukheiber for a Roman Orthodox seat in Metn Jessica Azar for the Roman Orthodox seat in Metn Rock-Antoine Mehanna for the Maronite seat in Kesrouan Mohammad Ali Mita for the Sunni seat in Zahle Ammer al-Sabouri for the Shiite seat in Zahle Boughos Kordian for the Armenian orthodox seat in Zahle Are Kuyunian for the Armenian orthodox seat in Metn