Assem Qanso - 2009 Election and Parliamentarian

2009 Election and Parliamentarian

There were discussions within the Ba'ath Party if Qanso was to give up his candidacy in the Baalbek-Hermel electoral district to Fayez Shukr, the leader of the Ba'ath Party. Qanso announced his candidacy for a seat in the Baalbek-Hermel electoral district in April 2009. In the 2009 parliamentary election, the Ba'ath Party won two seats as part of the March 8 Alliance; Qanso and Qassem Hashem. Qanso was elected to parliament in the Baalbek-Hermel district. The United States Government led by Barack Obama announced an extension of its travel ban and asset freeze against those seeking “to undermine Lebanon’s legitimate and democratically elected government.” Qanso was amongst those effected by the extension of sanctions. The Ba'ath Party which supports Najib Mikati, the current Prime Minister of Lebanon, claimed, through Qanso, that it "should have been represented in the government, just like the Syrian Social Nationalist Party”.