Saniora’s Candidacy Puts Sidon in Turmoil
Hanan Awarekeh Readers Number : 95
09/04/2009 It was possible to spare the city of Sidon in south Lebanon a severe electoral battle. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora’s announcement that he will compete in the June parliamentary elections for the Sunni seat in the district of Sidon has put the city in complete turmoil.
Saniora’s announcement was met with amazement from across the political spectrum on Wednesday, even by some of the Future Movement allies. As-Safir newspaper said on Tuesday that Saniora was waiting for the head of the Future movement, MP Saad Hariri's final say on whether he should enter the race or not. Hariri had left earlier this week for Saudi Arabia probably for consultations.
Saniora has led the Lebanese government since 2005, but it's his first time that he runs in parliamentary elections. Saniora's announcement has also concerned a Future movement ally, the Jamaa Islamiya, who could have serious difficulties running against two well-known Future candidates, Saniora and Education Minister Bahiya Hariri.
The group's politburo chief, Ali Sheikh Ammar, said that Saniora's candidacy was an "unfortunate decision and is directly made against my party."
He added that the Jamaa Islamiya was still intent on working with the Future Movement, "but that MP Saad Hariri would have to move to fix the impasse."
As Safir newspaper for its part quoted a source from Jamaa Islamiya as saying that Saniora's nomination has "turned the equation upside down."
The source said that following Saniora's nomination, the Islamic Gathering called Hariri in Saudi Arabia and "agreement has been reached such as Jamaa Islamiya would support Saniora's nomination in Sidon in return for the nomination of its candidate Imad Hout in Beirut's third district."
Minister Hariri visited the Islamic Jamaa at its Sidon headquarters Tuesday evening and held talks with Ammar for hours.
In remarks following the meeting, Hariri denied that Saniora's candidacy would affect relations between the Future Movement and Jamaa Islamiya, adding that the group was a big supporter of the prime minister.
As Safir said the two sides agreed that "contacts should be maintained" between the two groups.
Saniora's chief competitor will be Osama Saad, a Nasserite MP aligned with the opposition, who has been one of Sidon's parliamentary deputies for two terms.
Regarding Saniora's candidacy, MP Saad reiterated that the coastal city would witness a "strong electoral battle." In remarks on Wednesday, Saad stressed he was keen on holding the polls in a calm and stable atmosphere.
In response to Saniora's earlier comments that he wanted to defend Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, Saad said: "Let us remember that it was the resistance that regained the state's sovereignty in most of the country's areas."
He also told reporters that his movement's victory would be "a victory for all patriotic Lebanese," adding that he was ready for the electoral battle.
Meanwhile, some people have seen that the Saniora’s candidacy has provoked many Sidon residents while Sidon circles are warning about dragging the city into an economic rapture with its surrounding in case Saniora won the elections.
A citizen from Sidon said that he “doesn’t support Saniora and respects Minister Bahia Hariri yet she must not impose her will on us, this is wrong.” He told Al-Manar TV Channel, “Right after Saniora’s candidacy, the traffic was reduced and affected on the trade market, thus how would the political face of the city and the south be..?”
Moreover, the Tawhid Movement leader Wiam Wahhab said that "PM Saniora thinks that he needs some time to burry the republic completely and by his candidacy he is trying to fortify himself with immunity because of his violations, however the voters of Sidon would not abandon Saad who has stood by the city in the darkest circumstances."
Within the framework of ongoing preparations for the upcoming parliamentary polls, the Internal Security Forces' South Lebanon department increased its security patrols in several areas in Sidon. Foot and vehicle patrols were conducted across the city.
Hanan Awarekeh Readers Number : 95
09/04/2009 It was possible to spare the city of Sidon in south Lebanon a severe electoral battle. Prime Minister Fouad Saniora’s announcement that he will compete in the June parliamentary elections for the Sunni seat in the district of Sidon has put the city in complete turmoil.
Saniora’s announcement was met with amazement from across the political spectrum on Wednesday, even by some of the Future Movement allies. As-Safir newspaper said on Tuesday that Saniora was waiting for the head of the Future movement, MP Saad Hariri's final say on whether he should enter the race or not. Hariri had left earlier this week for Saudi Arabia probably for consultations.
Saniora has led the Lebanese government since 2005, but it's his first time that he runs in parliamentary elections. Saniora's announcement has also concerned a Future movement ally, the Jamaa Islamiya, who could have serious difficulties running against two well-known Future candidates, Saniora and Education Minister Bahiya Hariri.
The group's politburo chief, Ali Sheikh Ammar, said that Saniora's candidacy was an "unfortunate decision and is directly made against my party."
He added that the Jamaa Islamiya was still intent on working with the Future Movement, "but that MP Saad Hariri would have to move to fix the impasse."
As Safir newspaper for its part quoted a source from Jamaa Islamiya as saying that Saniora's nomination has "turned the equation upside down."
The source said that following Saniora's nomination, the Islamic Gathering called Hariri in Saudi Arabia and "agreement has been reached such as Jamaa Islamiya would support Saniora's nomination in Sidon in return for the nomination of its candidate Imad Hout in Beirut's third district."
Minister Hariri visited the Islamic Jamaa at its Sidon headquarters Tuesday evening and held talks with Ammar for hours.
In remarks following the meeting, Hariri denied that Saniora's candidacy would affect relations between the Future Movement and Jamaa Islamiya, adding that the group was a big supporter of the prime minister.
As Safir said the two sides agreed that "contacts should be maintained" between the two groups.
Saniora's chief competitor will be Osama Saad, a Nasserite MP aligned with the opposition, who has been one of Sidon's parliamentary deputies for two terms.
Regarding Saniora's candidacy, MP Saad reiterated that the coastal city would witness a "strong electoral battle." In remarks on Wednesday, Saad stressed he was keen on holding the polls in a calm and stable atmosphere.
In response to Saniora's earlier comments that he wanted to defend Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, Saad said: "Let us remember that it was the resistance that regained the state's sovereignty in most of the country's areas."
He also told reporters that his movement's victory would be "a victory for all patriotic Lebanese," adding that he was ready for the electoral battle.
Meanwhile, some people have seen that the Saniora’s candidacy has provoked many Sidon residents while Sidon circles are warning about dragging the city into an economic rapture with its surrounding in case Saniora won the elections.
A citizen from Sidon said that he “doesn’t support Saniora and respects Minister Bahia Hariri yet she must not impose her will on us, this is wrong.” He told Al-Manar TV Channel, “Right after Saniora’s candidacy, the traffic was reduced and affected on the trade market, thus how would the political face of the city and the south be..?”
Moreover, the Tawhid Movement leader Wiam Wahhab said that "PM Saniora thinks that he needs some time to burry the republic completely and by his candidacy he is trying to fortify himself with immunity because of his violations, however the voters of Sidon would not abandon Saad who has stood by the city in the darkest circumstances."
Within the framework of ongoing preparations for the upcoming parliamentary polls, the Internal Security Forces' South Lebanon department increased its security patrols in several areas in Sidon. Foot and vehicle patrols were conducted across the city.
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