BEIRUT, May 10, 2022 (Xinhua) Lebanese President Michel Aoun affirmed today (Tuesday) that all measures have been taken in order to conduct the parliamentary electoral process scheduled for next (Sunday) in an atmosphere of transparency and freedom.
This came according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, during Aoun’s meeting with the head of the Francophone International Organization’s mission to monitor the parliamentary elections, Alda Grioli.
Aoun welcomed the mission’s participation in monitoring the elections, and informed the European official that all measures were taken to conduct the parliamentary electoral process in an atmosphere of transparency, freedom and democratic competition.
In turn, Ghriuli noted Aoun’s keenness to hold the parliamentary elections on time and to secure the conditions for their success.
She indicated that the mission will remain in Lebanon for 10 days to monitor the elections and prepare a detailed report on them.
About 130,000 Lebanese expatriates out of 225 thousand registered cast their votes on (Friday) and (Sunday) last in 57 countries.
It is expected that the polling process for the employees participating in organizing the elections that will take place in the various Lebanese regions on May 15 will take place in Lebanon next (Thursday).
103 electoral lists are competing in the elections, comprising 718 candidates distributed over 15 electoral districts, to select 128 deputies in Parliament.
Parliamentary elections are held in Lebanon every 4 years. Parliament seats are divided equally between Muslims and Christians.
These elections constitute an important milestone in Lebanon’s political history, the first since the financial and economic collapse and the outbreak of the October 17, 2019 protests once morest the ruling political class, which the protesters hold responsible for the deteriorating conditions.
It is noteworthy that Lebanon is suffering from a collapse in its local currency once morest the dollar at a time when the country is hit by intertwined political, economic, living and health crises that have led to a rise in the poverty rate to 82% with the exacerbation of unemployment and inflation and the erosion of incomes and savings amid an unprecedented rise in prices with a shortage of fuel, medicines and infant formula. /ts/
