BEIRUT (Aztagdaily.com)–A week after calling on local Armenia’s to withhold from voting in Beirut district parliamentary elections–the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) of Lebanon announced its candidates for the Metn and Bekaa districts–Hagop Pakradouni and current parliament deputy George Kassarji–respectively.
According to the ARF–when Armenia’s get out their vote in Metn and Bekaa–the absence of votes in heavily Armenian populated electoral districts it has decided to boycott will be even more effective in revealing the actual force of Armenia’s in the country.
"With one area [Beirut] boycotting elections and another voting full-force–Lebanese Armenia’s will–in any event–prove that their will must be considered by the various forces in the Lebanon’s political arena–when shaping the future of Lebanon," the ARF Central Committee announced.
The party’s decision to not participate in the Beirut elections came after its two candidates were excluded from Saad Hariri–son of the slain former premier Rafik Hariri’s electoral list for Beirut’s constituencies.
The party later pulled its two candidates Stepan Der Bedrossian and Jacques Chookhadarian from the race–calling it a "logical subsequent step" to boycotting the elections–since the ARF’s candidates would have garnered victories–considering the party’s influence in the area–and the four Armenian seats up for grabs.