Constitutional Council Annuls Election of Dima Jamali

The Constitutional Council has invalidated the election of Tripoli MP Dima Jamali in the parliamentary elections after her win was contested by unsuccessful candidate Taha Naji.

The Council’s head Issam Suleiman said an election in the Tripoli district of Minieh will be held within two months to fill the vacant seat.

Suleiman said that investigations launched after Naji's appeal have shown evidence of tampering with the ballot results.

Jamali, Sunni of al-Mustaqbal Movement, was elected an MP in the parliamentary elections in May.

Naji ran on the National Dignity list headed by MP Faisal Karami.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Jamali said: “After hearing the ruling of the Constitutional Council, we must all respect it, knowing that there were political interventions. But what was issued became a reality. I would like to thank Prime Minister Hariri for renewing his confidence in me by inviting me to the Center House to ask me to run again in the name of the al-Mustaqbal Movement for the Sunni seat in Tripoli."

She added: "I know that my legitimacy stems from the Lebanese people as a whole and from the people of Tripoli especially, who elected me and placed their confidence in me the first time. I am sure that they will grant me this trust again, because they saw what we did during a short period in parliament for the capital of the north."

"I hope to continue to serve Tripoli through Parliament after the parliamentary by-election. I will continue the battle and hope for the best," she went on to say.