October 28, 2026
The date of the by-elections to fill the Orthodox seat in the West Bekaa-Rashaya district is still pending, in light of the regional security challenges and potential escalation that may force postponement of the election. On the other hand, the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nabih Berri, stressed the necessity of completing the elections to revive the file, amid information indicating that the Ministry of the Interior is preparing to conduct the election as soon as possible.
The legal path to eligibility is based on Article 41 of the Constitution and Election Law No. 44/2017, which stipulate that a successor to the late MP shall be elected within two months of the seat being vacant, provided that the vacancy does not occur in the last six months of Parliament’s term, and that the electoral bodies must be invited by decree at least thirty days before the polling date. With the extension of the mandate of the Parliament until 2028, those who support holding elections believe that the seat is no longer included except for the last six months. On the other hand, a Bekaa MP opposed to Elie Ferzli is promoting a study stating that the extended council is not entitled to hold by-elections, which leaves the entitlement suspended between a clear constitutional text and a legal objection that has not yet been resolved.
The West Bekaa-Rashaya district includes 162,077 registered voters, distributed as follows: 107,690 voters in West Bekaa and 54,387 voters in Rashaya. Unlike general elections, these by-elections will be held for one seat under a majoritarian rather than proportional system, making alliances and the ability to mobilize more decisive than preferential votes.
It should be noted that the constituency’s representatives for the 2022 session are: Qablan Qablan, Wael Abu Faour, Yassin Yassin, Hassan Murad, Charbel Maroun, and the late MP Ghassan Skaf, who died on December 13, 2025. Political circles are circulating the names of four potential candidates for the vacant seat, and they are: former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Elie Ferzli, Maysam Younes Skaf (widow of the late MP), lawyer George Abboud (backed by the National Democratic Party). “Lebanese Forces”), and Terry Sabunji (backed by Wael Abu Faour).
In terms of electoral chances, Elie Ferzli starts from a previous numerical advantage represented by his obtaining 2,304 preferential votes in the 2022 elections compared to 776 votes for Skaf, even if proportional calculations prevented him from winning at that time. Ferzli is considered the most likely in preliminary calculations if the support of the Amal Movement and Hassan Murad is confirmed for him, in addition to his popular base and relationships, in addition to Berri’s efforts to attract Hezbollah’s support in his favor and limit the momentum of the Progressive Socialist Party. However, these balances remain dependent on the positions of the final political forces, and whether the socialist will fight the battle until the end or lean towards a political settlement.
On the other hand, Maysam Younis Skaf is running in the race, relying on her husband’s legacy and presence in the region, while George Abboud is betting on supporting the “Lebanese Forces,” and Terry Sabunji is on Wael Abu Faour’s support network. The fortunes of these names remain dependent on their ability to expand their alliances outside the traditional rules, and on the level of broad popular participation.
In conclusion, the competition does not appear to be equal on paper, with a relative lead for Al-Farzli, but the decision remains linked to two basic conditions that precede heading to the ballot boxes: deciding on the legal controversy, issuing a decree calling for electoral bodies, and crystallizing field alliances, so that the fate of the seat remains governed by political tensions and the possibility of postponement.
