Starting tomorrow, Thursday, or Friday at the latest, the Constitutional Council will release the first batch of results for the 15 parliamentary appeals directed against 18 deputies. According to "Asas," reports from the rapporteurs (more than one rapporteur was appointed for each appeal, with the number varying according to the size of the file) reached the Constitutional Council by mid-September. The Council had a month to study and issue final decisions by a majority of seven out of ten members. The decision to issue the results of the appeals in at least two batches stems from the Council members' desire not to issue a result for a specific appeal that shares similarities in circumstances with another, which could be interpreted as an influencing factor on that appeal. Therefore, the members decided to group similar appeals together, with the first phase including "the ready appeals that have no legal overlapping points."
So far, sources from the Constitutional Council have remained completely silent regarding the results of the appeals, as the Council is still reviewing a few of them without reaching a final decision, although at least three appeals are ready to be issued, while the others are undergoing final adjustments. However, the first batch may include at least five appeals.
It’s worth noting that the rapporteur's report is a "project decision" that must undergo discussion and reassessment within the Constitutional Council, and may be accepted in whole or in part, or rejected entirely or partially, thus the final decision lies with the Council.
Previously, the President of the Council, Judge Tannous Mouchelbach, confirmed in a television interview that "the members of the Council are working under very difficult logistical conditions due to occasional power outages and a lack of ink and printing." He reiterated in a previous statement to "Asas" that the members have not faced any political pressures, a point he reiterated days ago.
### Key Appeals
"Asas" re-publishes the most significant appeals:
- The largest number was registered in Tripoli-Minieh-Dinniyeh with four appeals, the most important and serious being the appeal submitted by Faisal Karami (6,494 preferential votes) against the candidates on the change forces' lists, Ihab Matar (Sunni - 6,518 votes), Rami Fanj (Sunni - 5,009 votes), and Firas Seloum (Alawite - 370 votes), along with Haidar Nasser's (Alawite - 313 votes) appeal against Ihab Matar, Firas Seloum, and Rami Fanj, and the appeal by Matanius Mahfoud (Orthodox - 250 votes) against MP Jamil Aboud (79 votes).
- In Akkar, candidate Haidar Zahreddin Isa, who received 3,948 preferential votes, appealed against MP Ahmad Rustum (324 preferential votes).
- In Jezzine-Saida, Amal Abu Zaid on the Free Patriotic Movement list (5,184) submitted an appeal against candidate Said al-Asmar (1,102) on the Forces list, and Ibrahim Azar (7,894) on the Shiite duo list against Asmar and Sharbel Messaad (984) on the list of Osama Saad and Abdul Rahman al-Bizri.
- In Marjayoun-Hasbaya, defeated candidate Marwan Khair al-Din (2,634) appealed against Firas Hamdan (4,859) on the winning change forces list, which secured a quota leading to Elia Grady winning by a margin. Acceptance of the appeal in this district, as well as in Tripoli, holds political significance as it enhances the status of 8 March bloc deputies against the "change" bloc.
- In Beirut I, candidate Eli Sharbashi (727 votes) on the Forces list appealed against candidate Cynthia Zarazir (486) on the list supported by MP Paula Yacoubian.
- In Metn, the appeal submitted by candidate Jad Ghosn (8,526) against MP Razi al-Hajj (3,459) on the Forces list and MP Agoub Beqradounian (Armenian Orthodox - 4,973).
While data leaked in recent days suggested the possibility of accepting the appeal by Wasef al-Harakeh (4,092) over the Shiite seat in Baabda against MP Fadi Ammar (4,862) of the Development and Liberation bloc, "Asas" confirms that the Constitutional Council is considering the quota of the list rather than the votes of the appealing candidate or the challenged candidate, even if it requires a recount of votes, which indeed occurred. Specifically, the Shiite duo-Amal Movement- Free Patriotic Movement list in Baabda garnered (33,962 votes) while the list including al-Harakeh received (13,201).
