Arslan Says Parties Used Civil Society Banner to Confront Him in Choueifat

Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan on Monday accused some political parties of “hiding” behind the banner of the civil society in a bid to oust his major influence in the Choueifat area where municipal polls were held on Sunday.

“I wish our list won all the seats but this is what happens in elections. Sometimes there is no full victory or a full loss,” said Arslan at a press conference, referring to the fact that the rival list managed to clinch three seats on the municipal council.

The list backed by Arslan won the other fifteen seats.

“We regret that the new municipal council will not include any representative of Khalde's Arab tribes,” Arslan added.

“Yesterday's polls proved that the civil society's political weight is exaggerated and that some political parties used the civil society banner to deceive the public opinion,” the Druze leader said.

According to media reports, the rival list comprised civil society figures and others backed by the Progressive Socialist Party and the Lebanese Communist Party.

“The three members who won from the rival list are one backed by the Communist Party, a PSP member and a third who is close to us, so where is the civil society?” Arslan asked.

Mount Lebanon witnessed on Sunday the second round of municipal elections that had kicked off in Beirut and the Bekaa region on May 8.

The next round of the elections will be held in the South and Nabatiyeh on May 22 and the final round will be held in the North and Akkar on May 29.

Y.R.

M.T.