976 Candidates to Run in Parliamentary Elections including 111 Women

Candidate registration closed at midnight for Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary elections, which for the first time in the country's history will be held under a complex proportional representation electoral system.

The deadline for forming electoral lists will expire on March 26.

The director of political affairs at the Interior Ministry, Faten Younis, said the nominations of 976 candidates were accepted, among them 111 women.

Only 12 women had nominated themselves in 2009.

The highest number of candidacies was recorded in Beirut's second electoral district, where 117 candidates will contest 11 parliamentary seats.

The deadline for withdrawing nominations expires on March 21.

The May 6 elections will be held in 15 electoral districts.