On the increasing participation of women in parliamentary elections, Citizens Within a State movement led by former minister Charbel Nahas, announced yesterday its list of 11 candidates, including 6 women, Fadia Bazzi (Nabatiyeh-Bint Jbeil), Rania Masri (Baabda), Petra Semaha (Beirut 1st constituency), Josephine Zgheib (Kesrwan-Jbeil), Layal Bu Mussa (North 3rd constituency) and Nariman Shamaa (North 2nd constituency). On the political parties front, Al Akhbar newspaper wrote that the Lebanese Communist Part still supports Hala Abu Kasm, MD, for Marjeyoun-Hasbaya running against the Free Patriotic Movement candidate. Also yesterday, former prime minister Najeeb Mikati announced the ‘Azm’ 11-member electoral list for North 2nd constituency, which includes only one woman, Mirvat Howz. On the other hand, Rula Tabsh Jaroudi, recruited by the Future Movement for Beirut 2nd constituency, briefed the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, during a visit on Friday, on the section in her electoral program that supports the rights of Lebanese mothers married to non-Lebanon in granting nationality to their children. Tabsh maintained that she will work on endorsing laws that end discrimination against women and drafting new bills that play fair to them at the political, economic and social levels, while observing the particularities of sovereignty and Lebanon’s commitment to international conventions. (AL Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, An Nahar, March 17, 19, 2018)