Prime Minister Najib Mikati (center) discussing the legislative elections with Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib (left) and Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi on April 20, 2022. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Wednesday that the “main obstacle” to the organization of the upcoming parliamentary elections for Lebanese expatriates is “obtaining cash” needed to pay the people in charge of the polling stations on polling day.
Here’s what we know:
• In a press briefing after meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Interior Minister Basssam Mawlawi, Bou Habib said that globally “we need 2,200 delegates, who will have to be paid and trained” to man the polling stations for expatriates. He also said that these people will have to be on duty from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m, and that some will also have to stay at the polling stations until the next day. Bou Habib voiced concerns about being able to fund these personnel, giving the example of Sydney, where such staff are paid 1,000 Australian dollars each. “We will try to overcome this obstacle,” he added.
• Bou Habib also referred to concerns raised in recent days by some Lebanese living in Australia. Some voters in Sydney have claimed that the polling station to which their vote has been assigned is several hours away from their residence and in some instances members of the same family have been assigned to vote at stations far away from each other. Lebanon’s consul general in Sydney, Charbel Macaron, has been accused via social media platforms by some Lebanese living in Australia of having modified the electoral rolls.
• “We are studying this case in order to make a final decision on distribution of voters in Australia across polling stations,” said Bou Habib on Wednesday. He also asserted that the consul has “respected the directives of foreign affairs and interior ministries,” explaining that “what happened was that big Lebanese parties, influential in the Sydney area, helped some voters register and entered different postcode numbers.”
• Bou Habib also indicated that five diplomats will be sent to Australia to help Macaron during the ballot.
• Earlier today, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused the Foreign Affairs Ministry of “complicating” the voting procedure for Lebanese voters abroad. “He also said that he will propose to Parliament to strip confidence from Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on the basis of his performance in the role.
• On Sunday, Progressive Party Leader Walid Joumblat accused the Free Patriotic Movement Head Gebran Bassil of compromising the vote of Lebanese expatriates.