Beirut  - Having the right family has been a key to reaching high-ranking positions in Lebanon's government throughout the country's political history.

It is no different in the upcoming election. Political heirs of slain presidents and retiring MPs are today preparing to run in a in polls scheduled for this Sunday, pitting the Hezbollah-led opposition against the Western-backed majority.

Hilal Khasan, a political analyst, describes the tradition as a "trademark of Lebanon's political history: Presidents' sons and MPs' daughters are running in the election."

"Lebanon's political scene has been and will stay a chain of dynasties handed down from fathers to sons to grandsons or granddaughters," said Munzer Habib, a Lebanese academic.

"To run in the main electoral lists you only have to have the family name and the background," he said.

Habib was referring to candidates such as Nayla Tueini, who was only 22 when her father, Jubran Tueni, publisher of Lebanon's leading al-Nahar newspaper, was assassinated in December 2005.

She is now running for the Beirut seat once held by her father, on the list of Saad Hariri, who is the leader of the current ruling Western-backed majority.

"I have to continue my father's mission to rebuild a sovereign, free, democratic Lebanon," Tueini said at a Beirut campaign rally.

Both of Nayla's grandfathers are prominent politicians in Lebanon. Ghassan Tueini, founder of the Lebanese daily newspaper al- Nahar, is an MP in the current parliament. Her other grandfather, Michel al-Murr is also a prominent politician and an MP.

Her Uncle Elias al-Murr is now Lebanon's defence minister.

"Nayla comes from a good political background and I think she can serve the young Lebanese as well as Lebanon," said one of her followers at the rally.

In a neighbouring area of Beirut, Nadim Gemayel, 27, son of former Lebanese Christian president-elect Bashir Gemayel who was assassinated in 1982, was preparing to enter a rally for electoral campaign. The Gemayel family is often referred to as the Kennedys of Lebanon.

"I will work to serve my country Lebanon and protect its sovereignty and independence from foreign interference," the young Gemayel told his followers at the rally.

Among the crowd was Nadim's mother Solange, who is currently an MP about to stand down after the June election. She hopes that her son Nadim will continue his father's path.

"My children were raised to love their country and serve the citizens of Lebanon. I hope Nadim will win, to continue this path," Solange Gemayel told the German Press Agency dpa.

In the Metn district, 20 kilometers north-east of Beirut, another Gemayel is running for the Maronite seat in the area: Sami Gemayel, cousin of Nadim and son of former president Amin Gemayel.

Sami Gemayel is the brother of Pierre Gemayel Jr., former MP and industry minister who was assassinated in 2006.

Going further into north Lebanon, Michel Moawad, son of another former president, Rene Moawad, who was assassinated in 1989, has also entered the political race.

Mouawad will be replacing his his mother Nayla, if he wins his seat. Nayla Nouawa has served as a minister in previous cabinets and is currently an MP in parliament.

"Michel was studying in Paris when his father was killed and he was too young to enter political life, but today he is ready to serve his country and its people," Nayla Mouawad said at one her son's rallies.

Most Lebanese complain about the so-called "political inheritance," and want to see new faces that do not come from political families.

"I hate seeing this system of political inheritance. Every four years we see new faces but the same family ruling again. This country needs a change," said Roger Salibi, an engineer, who said he will not vote in the upcoming election.

But, despite the business-as-usual in some constituencies, new faces are beginning to emerge. Many Lebanese think that even if they do not win, this will be the start of a slow process to end the dominance of dynasties.

Ghassan Rahbani, who is a nephew of legendary Lebanese diva Fairuz, is one of those running on the list of Christian leader Michel Aoun in the Metn district. He will be running against prominent politician Michel al-Murr.

Rahbani, known for a song he has written about corruption in Lebanon, said "it is time for change and this country cannot be run always by the same group of mafia."

Rahbani, who sings American-style rock music, said "as a young man I want to work to change certain rules that have dominated the political arena in this country, just like the political dynasties." (dpa)