Marwan Daher elected head of the Tripoli bar association

Sunday 09 November 2025 - 16:00

By: Sahili Aya

Marwan Daher elected head of the Tripoli bar association

Lawyer Marwan Daher has been elected as the new bâtonnier (head) of the Tripoli Bar Association for a two-year term, after winning 874 votes against 515 for his rival, Chawki Sassine.

Daher received wide political support from several major parties, including the Future Movement, the Marada Movement, MP Fayçal Karamé, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), and the Lebanese Forces (LF). Observers noted that this marks the first alliance between the LF and Fayçal Karamé’s political bloc in a professional election.

Sassine, on the other hand, was backed by former bâtonniers such as Rachid Derbas, Samir Jisr, and Georges Mourani, along with lawyers aligned with MPs Achraf Rifi and Michel Mouawad, as well as members of Jamaa Islamiya and the Azm Movement led by former Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

Following the announcement of the results, outgoing bâtonnier Sami Hassan handed over the insignia of office to Daher during a ceremony. In his speech, Daher praised the democratic spirit of the election, saying:

“Today, we write a new chapter in the history of our Order, after a respectful and democratic competition. This is a victory for the entire legal community.”

He also thanked his supporters and reaffirmed his commitment to unity within the bar.

Meanwhile, Nabhane Haddad was elected as a member of the Bar Council with 721 votes, defeating Zaher Matarji, who received 493 votes.

The Tripoli Bar elections, held traditionally on the second Sunday of November, saw a high voter turnout, with 1,387 out of 1,559 registered members casting their ballots.

Since its founding in 1921, the Tripoli Bar Association has followed the principle of religious rotation, alternating between Christian and Muslim bâtonniers. Daher’s election, following Muslim outgoing bâtonnier Sami Hassan, maintains this historical balance.