A coalition of representatives from prominent Lebanese civil society groups are running for the May 6 parliamentary elections with 66 candidates in 9 electoral districts across the country.
The coalition had previously announced the presence of around 300 candidates running for the race next May.
However, civil society groups chose to offer concessions by ending up with only 66 candidates to face Lebanon’s political parties and other leading figures across the nation.
With the decrease of the number of candidates, several activists found themselves incapable to fit in this coalition and therefore, remained outside the electoral battle.
According to observers, the decrease in the number of candidates might create a negative effect on the remaining contenders during the upcoming elections, while other analysts said civil society groups had few chances to win, particularly in the electoral strongholds of Hezbollah.
On the eve of the final deadline for list registration, the “My Nation Alliance” announced a list dubbed “Kilna Watani” (All for the Nation), the result of “more than a year and a half of serious work,” the groups said in a statement.
“The lists include 66 candidates from all sects across the country. This is the biggest electoral coalition in Lebanon's modern history. Through this move, the civil society is sending a powerful message that the citizen now has a serious alternative to the ruling class,” the groups added.
According to the statement, the coalition comprises seven candidates from the Mouwatenoun-wa-Mouwatenat group, 20 from Sabaa, one from 'You Stink', five from Li Baladi, one from the Identity and Sovereignty Gathering, two from Mutaheddoun, five from Li Haqqi, five from Sah, three from We Want Accountability and 17 independent candidates.
The coalition said that if it wins a parliamentary majority following the elections, it would then be capable to properly assume power.
