News

Fresh Faces but Same Old Names

Apr 26 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Fresh young faces may be campaigning to win a seat in Lebanon's parliament next month, but their family names are anything but new.

For decades the same families have played a pivotal role in the small Middle Eastern country, officially ruled by a parliamentary democratic system but where political power is still informally handed down through generations.

As Lebanon finally heads to the legislative polls after a nine-year hiatus, several candidates hail from a third -- or even fourth generation -- of the same political clans.

Aoun to Address Expats, Move ‘Serves’ Bassil Electoral Campaign

Apr 25 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Preparations for Lebanese emigrants voting from abroad are underway as President Michel Aoun is set to deliver a statement Wednesday evening urging Lebanese expats for massive participation in the country’s general elections, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Lebanon’s parliamentary elections will be held on May 6, but Lebanese expats will be voting from April 27 to 29.

Aoun will address Lebanese expats through media outlets and will emphasize the importance of participation in the electoral process under the new electoral law, said the daily.

Electoral Supervisory Committee Says ‘No Power over Political Candidates’

Apr 23 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

The Electoral Supervisory Committee acknowledged on Monday that the powers entrusted to it do not include powers over candidates from the political class.

“The authority given to the electoral supervisory committee do not include powers over political candidates,” head of the committee, ex-Judge Nadim Abdul Malak told reporters during a press conference.

Heated Electioneering, Disturbances as Lebanon Gears for Elections

Apr 23 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Parliament hopefuls, political parties and state figures running in the country’s upcoming general elections have “rallied capabilities and means” for their electoral campaigns, amid complaints some are reportedly “exploiting” the government's resources and “harnessing” some of the security and administrative services, al-Joumhouria daily reported Monday.

The past 48 hours have witnessed “heated” electioneering around different Lebanese regions, with signs of escalating “verbal rhetoric,” where more and more fights and disturbances were reported in the run-up to the May 6 ballot.

Berri to Expats: Battle Now is Exactly between Sectarianism, Democracy

Apr 15 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Speaker Nabih Berri announced Sunday that the current battle in the country is between “sectarianism and democracy.”

“The battle now is exactly between sectarianism and democracy,” Berri said during an annual gathering organized by the AMAL Movement for the Lebanese diaspora.

Referring to the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Speaker added: “I know the pressures that you are facing and I know that the campaign is mainly targeted against the resistance, but vote despite all of this.”

Hezbolá llama a unidad de pueblo libanés

Apr 13 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Hispan TV

El Movimiento de Resistencia Islámica de El Líbano (Hezbolá) ha celebrado un gran festival electoral en Beirut. En esta ocasión, su secretario general, Seyed Hasan Nasrolá, ha destacado la necesidad de estar unidos ante las tensiones crecientes de la región y a votar por la verdadera opción patriótica.

Bajo el lema “defendemos y construimos”, Hezbolá organizó su festival electoral en la capital libanesa, para las elecciones parlamentarias libanesas del 6 de mayo, las primeras desde 2009.

Mashnouq Meets Election EU Observer Team

Apr 13 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq met on Friday with the EU's head of mission for electoral monitoring Elena Valenciano, in the presence of EU Ambassador Christina Lassen where talks focused on the logistic and technical preparations for the parliamentary elections, the National News Agency reported.

For her part, Valenciano said more than 100 observers will monitor the elections, noting that a group of them will be responsible for monitoring expatriates'voting across 10 EU countries on April 29, including Switzerland.

Hariri, Bassil Expected in Separate 'Electoral' Visits to South Lebanon

Apr 13 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil are expected to separately visit "Lebanon's southern border area," 24 days before the country's parliamentary elections start, in a bid to "garner support" for their candidates running in the May 6 polls, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

"The visits have specific significance and bear political connotations," said the daily, since it comes shorlty before the elections.

Hariri Urges Voters to Refrain from Voting in Favor of Parties Limiting Reforms

Apr 07 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Saturday urged the Lebanese to refrain from casting votes in favor of parties who abstain from introducing reforms they once vowed to do.

Addressing the Lebanese community at the opening of the Lebanese Diaspora Energy conference for Europe in Paris, Hariri said: “You are our secret weapon. You must as well threaten us into introducing reforms, otherwise you may refrain from voting for us.”

Les jeunes accorderont leur vote à un candidat « compétent »

Apr 06 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
L'Orient Le Jour

SONDAGE

Une étude effectuée par l’association Adyan analyse l’influence du communautarisme sur les choix électoraux de la nouvelle génération.

S’il est clairement établi qu’une bonne partie des Libanais continuent d’être affectés par le climat confessionnel ambiant qui régit plusieurs aspects de la vie sociale et politique, il est moins certain que cette attitude ait été systématiquement transmise aux nouvelles générations.

Security Plan Set for Election Day

Apr 06 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

One month before Lebanon holds its legislative elections, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq and the Central Internal Security Council decided to deploy 20,000 military and security members over 7000 poll stations around the country as part of a security plan on election day, al-Joumhouria daily reported Friday.

Mashnouq chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Central Internal Security Council on Thursday and discussed the security plan for the May 6 elections to ensure coordination among security apparatuses.

Abus de pouvoir

Apr 04 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
L'Orient Le Jour

La participation des Libanais de la diaspora aux élections législatives au Liban était une très ancienne revendication soulevée par plusieurs partis et milieux locaux pendant des décennies. La concrétisation de cette vieille doléance a été certes une avancée louable. Sauf que… la nécessaire implication des Libanais de l’étranger dans la vie publique de leur mère patrie devient, d’entrée de jeu, viciée à la base lorsqu’un abus de pouvoir s’en mêle pour favoriser les candidats du parti ou de la faction en charge de l’exécutif.

EU to Send Election Monitors to Lebanon

Apr 03 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

The European Union has decided to send a specialized delegation to Lebanon led by Spanish MEP Elena Valencia with the aim of monitoring the May 6 parliamentary elections, a media report said.

A report published Tuesday by al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini as saying that the European Union is paying special attention to these elections, the first that Lebanon organizes in around a decade.

Mogherini noted, according to the daily, that Lebanon's stability and economic growth are important for the entire region.

Hariri Says Mustaqbal Backs Berri's Reelection

Apr 02 2018
Lebanon
Source: 
Naharnet

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has confirmed that al-Mustaqbal Movement is in favor of the reelection of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to his post.

“The relation with Speaker Nabih Berri is excellent,” Hariri told MTV.

“We have a long journey with him and we always agree on the issues that have to do with the country's interest and the things that benefit citizens,” the premier added.

He also stressed that his bloc will back Berri's reelection.

MP Hani Qobeissi of Berri's AMAL Movement had warned Saturday that there are attempts to "weaken" Berri.

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