Disclaimer: This is information only, we are not endorsing any list or candidate, for a wider overview of the lists please check the following: Daleel Al Thawra, The Lebanese Diaspora Network, United Diaspora LB
BEKAA 1 ZAHLE DISTRICT
Number of Registered Voters in Lebanon 2021: 174,157
Number of Registered Voters in Diaspora 2021: 9,566
Voter Turnout 2018: 53.57%
TOTAL: 7 seats | Maronite (1 seat) | Greek Catholics (2 seats) | Orthodox (1 seat) | Armenian Orthodox (1 seats) | Sunni (1 seat) | Shia (1 seat)
Zahlé Rises Up (Zahlé Tantafed) wants to restore Zahlé’s political power and build a Lebanese republic by restructuring the health, educational, and banking sectors. Their objectives include (1) restricting weapons to Lebanese Armed forces, (2) financial transparency, and (3) independence of the judiciary.
The candidates stressed that the upcoming elections are crucial to determining Lebanon’s future for the next 30 years. Zahlé Tantafed is running under the slogan: “Zahlé rises for the republic.”
Zahlé Rises Up (Zahlé Tantafed)
Amer Sabbouri –
عامر الصبوري
Seat: Shia – Zahlé
Amer Sabbouri is the managing director and owner of Tapis D’or – Sabbouri CO., a handmade carpets and rugs company. He received a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the Lebanese American University and is well-known for his public service. Sabbouri helped distribute Kuwait Red Crescent’s aid to those harmed by Israel during the 2006 Lebanon War. In 2009, he founded the “People for People” association to speak up against the ruling regime. Sabbouri ran unsuccessfully in the parliamentary elections after the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. He is in a civil marriage and is raising his two children to respect all religions. Sabbouri is running this election for his daughters “so that they stay in Lebanon,” as his campaign slogan says.
Armin Asfahani –
ارمين اصفهاني
Seat: Armenian Orthodox – Zahlé
Armin Asfahani was born in 1976 and started working at an early age. He is a visionary businessman who works in technology and education. Asfahani founded and headed ACSONS SARL, the exclusive agent for the Gree air conditioners in Lebanon and other brands. He also founded the Asfahani Group Holding, the Asfahani Refrigeration Services, and the Design Lounge SAL, which provides innovative solutions to interior designers. He is also a member of ASHRAE, a global initiative working to advance human well-being through sustainable technology. Asfahani aims to implement national projects to create the necessary infrastructure to propel the economy forward. He is committed to ensuring public education for all children. Asfahani’s ultimate goal is to contribute to transforming Lebanon into a better and more productive country through business efficiency and self-sufficiency.
Eid Azar –
عيد عازار
Political Affiliation: Zahle Tantafid
Seat: Greek Orthodox – Zahlé
Political Cluster: نداء ١٣ نيسان
Eid Azar is an Associate Professor of Infectious Disease and Clinical Medicine at the University of Balamand. He received his Medical Degree from Saint Joseph University. Azar is the Chief of Staff at the Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, the Director of the MICROB research unit, and the Owner and Winemaker at Vertical33 in Bekaa.
Hamze Maita –
حمزه ميتا
Seat: Sunni – Zahlé
Hamze Maita was born in the town of Bar Elias in 1982. He is an appeal and discrimination attorney and is a member of the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences. Maita is a political, social, and environmental activist. Since the start of the October 17 revolution, he has been defending the needs of the revolutionaries and rejecting the unjust political system. Maita has great hope for the youth and urges them to rise above sectarianism.
“The problem is not with the constitution and the political system, but rather with their implementation.”
“We are waging a confrontation during the parliamentary elections in all electoral districts, bearing a single and clear governance project, an alternative to a coalition of sects and money leaders, that simulates the people’s concerns and their actual reality.”
Qadreen Nwejih
Ghassan Hymaymes –
غصان حميمص
Political Affiliation: MMFD – مواطنون ومواطنات في دولة
Seat: Maronite – Zahlé
Ghassan Hymaymes is a doctor specializing in pediatric neurology for children with special needs.
“We are able to make the crisis an opportunity, and we will not emigrate.”
Petra Samaha –
بترا سماحه
Political Affiliation: MMFD – مواطنون ومواطنات في دولة
Seat: Greek Catholic – Zahlé
When Petra Samaha studied architecture and urban planning, she realized that there is no technocratic workplace in Lebanon that restores the comfort and value of its cities and living spaces. She states that urban planning is rooted in distributing resources and costs in the most effective way, not physical embellishment. Samaha’s realization motivated her to join MMFD during its establishment in 2016.
Rami Abou Eid –
رامي ابو عيد
Political Affiliation: MMFD – مواطنون ومواطنات في دولة
Seat: Greek Catholic – Zahlé
“At the moment, a dark night is consuming our society. Our rights are commodities, our professions are without prospects, and immigration is our only escape to salvation. However, we are not defeated yet. The battle is not over, and the future is not written yet. We have to light this long night.”
“I am running to establish a political project that is a complete cut from the past. The project aims to establish a civil state built on the needs of the people by securing their education, security, health, transportation, housing, and work rights.”
“I am running because I do not want to give up anything else. Because I no longer accept their domination. Because I am not a defeatist.”
Rania Al Mais –
رانيا الميس
Political Affiliation: MMFD – مواطنون ومواطنات في دولة
Seat: Sunni – Zahlé
Rania Al Mais was born in the town of Makseh. She is a specialist in endocrine diseases and is a member of the Lebanese Medical Syndicate in Tripoli. She received a Medical Degree with a focus on the endocrine gland and diabetes from the Upstate Medical University in New York.
Al Taghyir is running on three principles:
- These elections are not a family conflict or competition between villages. Instead, they are serving a nation that needs loyal leaders. We must vote for the representatives that best reflect the people.
- Your voice is a tool that will help us reach a parliament that will improve the state of our region. It is a free sound that makes a difference.
- Vote for those who have proven that they represent you, not those who only say they will.
Al Taghyir
Khalil Younes –
خليل يونس
Seat: Greek Catholic – Zahlé
Khalil Younes was born in 1974 in Zahlé and is the director of an insurance company. He is involved in youth initiative programs, relief aid, and cultural work in the Bekaa region. Younes aims to develop the cultural, political, and administrative sector in Zahlé and use its rich agriculture to help support the Lebanese economy. He plans to improve the Lebanese education system, create environmental initiatives, recover the stolen deposits of the Lebanese, and use scientific evidence to improve the economic situation.
Lina Kokjian –
لينا كوكجيان
Seat: Armenian Orthodox – Zahlé
Lina Kokjian was born in Ralias and was raised by her father since her mother passed away. She is the first female lawyer in Zahlé, holds a Law degree from the Lebanese University, and ran in the 2018 Parliamentary Elections. Kurkjian is a community woman and human rights activist known for her public work and complex defense cases. Although she married a Sunni, Kokjian did not convert to Islam and is choosing to run for the Armenian seat. She is running for her Armenian family, friends, and the people of her hometown. Her ultimate goal is to modernize the outdated systems and laws to improve the lives of all Lebanese and to support Armenians by including them in public jobs.
“I was born Armenian and will die Armenian. This is not a sectarian affiliation, but a national one.”
Rida El Mays –
رضا الميس
Seat: Sunni – Zahlé
Rida El Mays was born and raised in Bar Elias, where he was elected Mayor from 1998 to 2004. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medical Sciences from Cairo University, a Master’s in Architecture from Pratt Institute, and a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the American University of Beirut. El Mays is a lecturer at the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Medicine. He is the founder and owner of Lebanese Poultry Company and the president of the National Union of Lebanese Cooperatives in Lebanon. El Mays is a founding member of the Egyptian Alumni Association in Lebanon, a member of the World’s Poultry Science Association, and a council member of the Antonine University in Zahlé. He is part of the agricultural union and was active in the Lebanese Veterinary Association.
Tannous El Khoury –
طنوس الخوري
Seat: Maronite – Zahlé