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ELECTIONS 2022

Hezbollah's number two says his organization supports expatriate voting in upcoming parliamentary elections

Hezbollah's number two says his organization supports expatriate voting in upcoming parliamentary elections

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem casts his vote during the 2018 Lebanese parliamentary elections. (Credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters)

BEIRUT — The deputy chief of Hezbollah said Saturday that his organization supports allowing Lebanese expatriates to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections, after reports swirled that Hezbollah had opposed allowing votes from abroad.

Here's what we know:

    • In a speech, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said that “despite the lack of fairness” due to his party being unable to reach potential voters abroad because of sanctions, Hezbollah wants expatriates to vote.

    • “We have therefore decided to support the issue of the emigrants' vote ... because we do not want to deprive them of their willingness to participate in the ballot,” Qassem said, adding his party held internal discussions on the topic.

    • Earlier in October, MP Ali Fayyad (Hezbollah/Marjayoun-Hasbaya) told Al-Jadeed that his party was concerned about “legal complications that may affect voters” in jurisdictions where Hezbollah is blacklisted as a terrorist group, including the US.

    • Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Gebran Bassil, an ally of Hezbollah, on Oct. 5 reaffirmed his support for Lebanese expatriates to vote, while Amal has expressed reservations about allowing votes from abroad.

    • On Oct. 7, the joint parliamentary committees agreed on a proposal to hold parliamentary elections on March 27 instead of May 8, a move supported by Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), for its part, warned that an earlier date would not allow proper time to allow for a fair vote.

BEIRUT — The deputy chief of Hezbollah said Saturday that his organization supports allowing Lebanese expatriates to vote in the upcoming parliamentary elections, after reports swirled that Hezbollah had opposed allowing votes from abroad.Here's what we know:    • In a speech, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said that “despite the lack of fairness” due to his...