By AFP — Lebanese expatriates began casting their votes yesterday for parliamentary elections, more than two years into an unprecedented economic crisis has that spurred a mass exodus. While opposition figures have pinned their hopes on the diaspora, experts said the elections were expected to uphold the status quo, despite years of economic meltdown. Expatriates in nine Arab countries and in Iran were casting their ballots yesterday. Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) said around 36% of registered overseas electors had voted by the afternoon, with some 11,000 ballots cast. Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib expressed hope for 70% participation, noting that “voters in the Gulf usually rush to the ballot boxes in the evening.” The NNA said 65% of the 642 registered voters in Tehran had already cast their ballots. Lebanon’s ambassador to Tehran, Hassan Mohamed Abbas, welcomed the turnout. “Lebanese citizens living in Iran have shown lots of enthusiasm,” he said. In Saudi Arabia, around 30% of over 13,000 registered voters had voted by yesterday afternoon, according to the NNA.

Voting will take place in 48 other countries tomorrow. It is the second time in Lebanon’s history that citizens residing abroad are able to vote for their 128 representatives, in elections set to be held at home on May 15. The vote is the first since mass protests erupted in late 2019 against the country’s entrenched ruling elite, widely blamed for the economic collapse. Bou Habib had said that Lebanese based abroad would be able to vote in more than 205 polling stations worldwide. More than 225,000 people have registered to vote overseas, a jump from roughly 92,000 in 2018 elections — though only 50,000 of them voted at the time.

But voter registration, while on the rise, remains relatively low among the millions of Lebanese who live abroad, and their descendants. The economic crisis has pushed middle-class Lebanese, including families, fresh graduates, doctors and nurses to emigrate in search of a better future. While opposition groups hope the diaspora will vote for change, only 6% of overseas voters picked independents in 2018, according to a recent report by the Paris-based Arab Reform Initiative. Candidates from the traditional parties have sent messages to many expatriates in recent weeks to appeal for their vote.

by naharnet.com — Saudi newspaper Okaz slammed Thursday former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, criticizing his “Iranian-like beard” and accusing him of “political Shiitization.” “By urging the Sunnis to boycott the parliamentary elections, Saad has done a great favor to the killers of his father. He left the elections arena to terrorist Hizbullah and to the Free Patriotic Movement at the expense of his country and his sect,” Okaz said. The daily added that “Saad today is not the same young man whose tears were wiped by Saudi Arabia after the assassination of his father in February 2005, seeing as Saad has allied with the FPM and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.” Okaz said that Hariri must bring Lebanon back to its Arab identity, instead of “subordinating” it to Iran. “This is your historic chance, and maybe you do not deserve it. Choose your country first and your sect second,” Okaz addressed Hariri.

by thearabweekly.com — As banners of the “Future Movement”, in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, continue to call for the boycott of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Lebanese political analysts are voicing dismay at the implications of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s call on Sunni voters to stay away from the country’s legislative elections, scheduled for May 15. The analysts emphasise that by doing so, Hariri in fact puts himself on the side of Hezbollah and Iran, whose interests would be served by a low Sunni turnout. The boycott call, they point out, is for now confusing and dividing the Sunni community. Many Sunni voices are however challenging it.

Lebanese political activists say they find it strange for Hariri to talk about “Iranian hegemony” as if it is a recent occurrence, when all the Lebanese know that he himself had contributed to the consolidation of Hezbollah’s hold on power. This he did by taking part in a weak government whose main task was to offer political cover for the ruling alliance between Hezbollah and the President Michel Aoun. In that sense, Hariri has only himself to blame for Hezbollah’s unchallenged rise to hegemony. Experts are also intrigued by the lack of any “Plan B” offered by Hariri to Lebanese Sunni voters as he calls on them to shun the elections. They believe the best chance for Sunni and Christian forces to alter the lopsided equation in Lebanon is to enter the election fray and try to defeat Hezbollah or at least clip its wings. The May 15 elections for parliament are the first since Lebanon’s economic meltdown began in late 2019. The government’s factions have done virtually nothing to address the collapse, leaving Lebanese to fend for themselves as they plunge into poverty, without electricity, medicine, garbage collection or any other semblance of normal life.

By MOHAMED CHEBARO — arabnews.com — Poverty-stricken Lebanese have welcomed the festivities of Easter and the end of Ramadan with empty pockets, empty fridges and empty promises from politicians. They now hope that the same political elite that have supervised the bankruptcy of their country will not be returned at the May 15 general election. However, the opposition voices look too splintered to have any serious success that could challenge the clout of the traditional political elite. I am therefore minded to think that Lebanon’s starving constituents would easily sell their votes for crumbs and reelect the same corrupt politicians, whom I expect to have an even bigger majority in the next parliament.

Lebanon these days is living a schizophrenic existence. On the one hand, it is life as normal for the top 10 to 20 percent of society, whose financial means have not been dented by the country’s economic collapse, its default on foreign debt or the decision of the state to apply capital control. On the other, one cannot fail to notice the beggars that line many intersections and the streets of city centers as the country prepares for a general election that could change the face of the Lebanese Republic for good.

by arabnews.com — Rashid Hassan — RIYADH: Lebanese expatriates in Saudi Arabia will cast their votes on Friday, taking part in their country’s parliamentary elections. Fawzi Kabbara, Lebanon’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Arab News: “The diaspora will vote here at the Lebanese Embassy in the Diplomatic Quarter on May 6. The polling will start at 7 a.m. and will continue till 10 p.m. Special arrangements to successfully complete the voting have been made at the embassy.” There are nearly 9,000 voters who will vote in Riyadh and Dammam, he said, adding: “We have another center for Jeddah, where about 4,500 Lebanese expats will vote. After the polling is completed, the ballot papers will be sent to Beirut and will be counted along with the votes cast in Lebanon on May 15.”

Raafat Aoun, a Lebanese expat working in the Kingdom, told Arab News: “The current political situation in Lebanon is decisive and will determine the fate of the country. Because of the monetary and fiscal policies followed for 32 years, Lebanon is in a big predicament. The state is bankrupt because of the quotas, job corruption and policies that have obliterated the middle class, so this stage is delicate, very sensitive.” He added that the people want to take their destiny into their own hands and remove the ruling elite from the government. “The people have discovered that this class has been lying to them with slogans that have led to divisions based on sects and religions. Two weeks are left, and we hope people wake up and make a refreshing change.”

Bol news —The first round of parliamentary elections in Lebanon will be launched on Friday by Lebanese expats voting. Expats will be able to vote in 59 countries, but just 10 will begin voting on Friday. The Friday weekend is observed by expats in these nations, which include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Syria, and Iraq. The second round of voting will take place on May 8 in nations with a Sunday weekend.

Lebanon’s elections will be held on May 15, with candidates contesting in 15 districts throughout all governorates and districts to choose new members for 128 parliamentary seats. The present parliament’s term, which was elected four years ago, will expire on May 21. The candidate and media code of conduct go into effect 24 hours before the election. The ruling parties have utilized every method of invitation, intimidation, and sectarian divisiveness to maintain their continued presence in parliament, thwarting the opposition’s painstaking efforts to turn the tables.

The list of candidates is dominated by Christian-influenced areas, with 269 registered in Mount Lebanon and 292 in the north. The south, which has a Shiite majority, has the lowest percentage of candidacy, with just 105 candidates running, while Beirut has 174 and the Bekaa area has 203. Nadim Abdelmalak, president of Lebanon’s supervisory commission for elections, criticized “the chaotic opinion polls that claim the victory of one candidate and the failure of another, despite the warnings sent by the commission to those concerned. The election requires every opinion poll prepared for the announcement to be provided to the commission.” Abdelmalak criticized “the magnitude of hate speech and treason, given that the electoral law requires that such rhetoric be mitigated, steering away from abasement, revilement, incitement to sectarian conflict and sometimes terrorism, perhaps used to reinforce sectarianism.”

NNA – Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, presided this morning over the feast Mass of “Our Lady of Lebanon” and the start of the Marian month in the Basilica of “Our Lady of Lebanon” in Harissa. In his homily, the Patriarch prayed to the Virgin Mary, the Lady of Lebanon, on her feast, “to protect our homeland and our people, preserve it as the land of faith and prayer, and sow peace in the hearts.” “With the beginning of the Marian month, we raise our eyes and our hearts to our Mother, the Virgin Mary, the Lady of Lebanon, and with the Lebanese, we are looking for a new hope that prayers may bring to them, becoming their main longing as recovery plans and reform projects remain useless in an atmosphere of utmost hatred, and as the positive effect of parliamentary and presidential elections remains limited unless accompanied by the spirit of harmony and devotion, for no issue or crisis is resolved with grudges,” the Patriarch said. “With kindness we resolve any disagreement even if deep, while with hatred we fail to resolve any disagreement even if superficial,” al-Rahi affirmed.

Referring to the recent Tripoli boat tragic incident, the Patriarch said: “Images of the sinking boat disaster off Tripoli’s shores are still vivid before our eyes, and the pain continues in our hearts as we see the death of children, youth, mothers and fathers, and we prayed for the souls of the fallen victims and for comfort and condolences to their families. It is not permissible for this tragedy to be a mere passing event, as some people try to turn its page just as they are trying to turn the page on the Beirut port blast and the explosion of the village of Al-Tleil in Akkar and others…

By William Christou — alaraby.o.uk — Lebanon’s parliament has passed a law allowing for the cultivation of hemp, the Minister of Agriculture, Abbas Hajj Hassan, said on Monday, though implementation mechanisms had yet to be specified. Hassan called hemp a “lifeline” for the Lebanese economy, saying that it has the potential to generate at least one billion US dollars in revenue. He added that the rules for its implementation were “being accelerated” by the cabinet. He further said that he hoped hemp production would keep “people and youth away from cultivating cannabis,” which he deemed a “scourge.”

Lebanon has long been famed for its production of cannabis and hash, particularly in the rugged Bekaa valley where sunshine and lack of state control provide perfect growing conditions. Lebanon is the biggest exporter of hashish in the region, and the fourth largest in the world according to the UN. Though the country legalised a form of medical marijuana to boost exports in 2020, regulations have yet to be set. The type of marijuana to be grown is also different from the cannabis that is normally grown in Lebanon, which contains much higher amounts of THC.

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian has used his Eid Al-Fitr sermon to warn Sunnis against the danger of abstaining from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Lebanon on May 15. In an address held at Al-Amin Mosque in the heart of Beirut, he told a crowd that included several Sunni candidates that “abstaining is the magic formula for corrupt people to come to power.” His warning comes after international observers said that Sunnis abstaining from the vote will allow the “growing influence of Hezbollah and its allies from the Sunni sect, through the winning of the party’s loyalists or its allies.The lower the turnout to the elections, the easier it becomes for Hezbollah to win in the Sunni areas.”

Derian’s remarks came as Eid Al-Fitr was celebrated amid a crippling financial hardship that has plagued the whole country. President Michel Aoun tweeted his greetings on the Islamic holiday: “May those with good converge toward the supreme interest of the nation to reach safety.” He added: “Let this feast be an invitation to all to rise above immediate interests and realize national hopes and ambitions for the advancement and recovery of our homeland.” Prime Minister Najib Mikati wished for “Lebanon to recover as fast as possible through everyone’s efforts and positive cooperation, as this is the only choice.” He added: “The repetition of mistakes is a crime, and the worst crimes are the ones committed against the homeland, under the pretext of defending it.”

Derian, the highest authority in Sunni Islam in the country, spoke on Monday on the grounds that “the enthusiasm of Sunnis in voting is declining” due to “people’s disgust from the ruling class and the poverty it led to,” an official in Dar Al-Fatwa told Arab News. They added: “The ‘Future Movement’ and its loyalists are some of the people abstaining from voting, despite former Prime Minister Saad Hariri not demanding boycotting the elections. However, they related to his decision for the movement to abstain from participating in the elections, on the level of candidacy and endorsement of candidates. They decided to abstain from voting due to their lack of conviction in Hariri’s replacements.”

Harissa (Agenzia Fides) – If the Lebanese really want to protect their right to self-determination and distance the future of the country from the groups that intend to cause the collapse of Lebanon and erase its historical identity, they must participate massively in the legislative elections on 16 of May. The appeal comes from Lebanese Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, who made these considerations on the relevance of the upcoming elections in his homily on Sunday, May 1, during the solemn Eucharistic liturgy presided over in the Shrine of Our Lady of Harissa.

In his homily, the Patriarch explained that the majority of Lebanese want to live in “a free, democratic and neutral Lebanon”, as provided for by the Constitutional Charter and the national historical identity itself. For this reason, all Lebanese are called upon to take advantage of their right to vote also “to tell the world which Lebanon they want”, and to make it clear to world and regional powers that the Lebanese people reject any geopolitical plan aimed at expropriating or mortgage the independence of the Lebanese nation. In the immediate term, the Patriarch has recalled the urgency of safeguarding an orderly and peaceful development of the last weeks of the electoral campaign, after the various incidents that in recent weeks have disturbed the fragile social order.

  percentage of votes by parties in 2018 — source

By Dario Sabaghi — al-monitor.com — The blast at Beirut Port on Aug. 4, 2020, not only left more than 215 dead and 6,000 injured, but also changed the skyline of Lebanon’s capital. For many Lebanese, the ruined grain silos are a memorial for the blast’s victims and a testament to the negligence of their political establishment. The forensic investigation was halted for the fifth time in February 2022. No one has yet been held accountable almost two years after the explosion of 552 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. On April 14, 2022, the Lebanese government approved plans to demolish the grain silos.

Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makari told the local media that the government had appointed the Council for Development and Reconstruction to oversee the demolition process. He did not specify a time frame. Makari said that the government made the decision based on a report by Lebanon’s Khatib and Alami Engineering Company, which warned that the silos might collapse within months and that it would be too expensive to repair them. Culture Minister Mohamed Mortada told Reuters the government had decided to demolish the silos and build new ones based on a “purely economic assessment” of Lebanon’s food security needs, including wheat storage.