Nahar 1988 : click to view
President Amine Gemayel, whose term was due to end on 23 September 1988, was constitutionally barred from reelection. No presidential elections were held before the end of his term. For this reason, President Gemayel appointed General Michel Aoun as president of the Council of Ministers.
On October 8, 1988, Lebanese press published a survey made between August the 8th and September the 8th with a grid of presidential declared and non-declared candidates.
Roger Edward Tamraz was the top pick with 39%. Dany Chamoun (leader of the Liberal National Party and president of the Lebanese Front) was second with 20%. And, Raymond Eddeh (leader of the Lebanese National Bloc) obtained 18.32%. General Michel Aoun (commander in chief of the Lebanese Army) who became Prime Minister by interim two weeks after the end of the survey, carried 8.4%.
An-Nahar Arab and International
Saturday 8 to Friday 14 October 1988
Presidential Elections: ROGER EDWARD TAMRAZ LEADS ALL CANDIDATES WITH 39 PERCENT
The straw poll opened on 8 August and closed two weeks before the provisional Government was put in place. With 39 per cent, Roger Edward Tamraz obtained the largest number of votes, following the interview he had just given to An-Nahar Arab and international, in which he announced his presidential programme. Mr. Dany Chamoun came in second place with 20 per cent, followed by Mr. Raymond Edde with 18.32 per cent and General Aoun with 8.4 per cent.
Throughout, An-Nahar Arab and International has been and will remain at your side, working for a better Lebanon, served by an ideal democracy. The Presidential “lottery” was the fruit of our joint efforts and our joint aspirations towards freedom, democracy and… independence.
L’Orient – Le Jour
Which President? The results of the referendum hold by An-Nahar Arab and International
The referendum held over a two month period by An-Nahar Arab and International, entitled “Which President do you want?” has shown that Mr. Roger Edward Tamraz obtained 39 per cent of the total vote, followed by Dany Chamoun with 20 per cent, and Mr. Raymond Edde with 18.32 per cent.
According to political and economic circles, these results prove that the Lebanese people, who have suffered fourteen years of war, give priority to economic matters rather than to political disputes, which they consider the main cause of the general degradation of the country. It seems to have been the economic salvation programme presented by Mr. Roger Edward Tamraz, which aims to ensure the Lebanese people an acceptable standard of living, that has been behind his success.
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