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ANALYSIS

Lebanon’s municipal elections are more at risk than ever

The caretaker interior minister intends to call for municipal elections next week, but political parties seem to fear the vote.

Lebanon’s municipal elections are more at risk than ever

The joint parliamentary committees met Tuesday. (Credit: Ali Fawaz via Lebanese Parliament)

“We don’t have the money to organize the municipal elections,” said caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi on Tuesday at the joint committee meeting in Parliament.

This statement seems to confirm that the elections, currently scheduled for May, are likely to be postponed again. They were previously postponed from spring 2022 to 2023.

But as political tension rises — as illustrated by Tuesday’s acrimonious exchanges in Parliament — no party wants to be blamed for such an unpopular decision, especially since many have reason to fear a popularity contest.

Parliament — which is currently unable to meet either to elect a president or to enact laws — has opted to punt the issue to the cabinet.

The term of the current municipal councils expires on May 31.

Ali Hassan Khalil, Berri’s right-hand man, set the tone on Tuesday.

“As a Parliament, we will not cover the use of the special drawing rights,” he said, in the wake of a heated verbal exchange with Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel who said he is in favor of this option to ensure the release of the necessary funds for the municipal elections.

An MP who also requested anonymity agreed with Berri’s right-hand man, saying “Parliament has nothing to do with the special withdrawing rights. It is up to the executive branch to take the helm.”

Several judicial sources contradicted this position and said they believe Parliament must make this decision, as the process is similar to that of public funding.

Thanks to efforts made by Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab, among others, Khalil contacted Gemayel on Tuesday evening to apologize for their heated exchange.

“The page of the dispute is definitely turned,” said the Kataeb leader at a Wednesday press conference at his party’s headquarters. “But there is no guarantee that this episode will not be repeated.”

There remains little reason to hope municipal elections will be held on time, as major technical obstacles have yet to be overcome.

Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, an MP who declined to be named said Bou Saab questioned whether the interior minister could ensure that public school teachers will be present at polling stations on election day.

For his part, Mawlawi does not intend to wait for a green light from caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. He could well call next week for a vote that would be held on in May.

“The Minister already notified the premiership’s office that a sum of $8 million is needed for the organization of the election. In the wait for the amount to be secured, Mawlawi will comply with the law in force and call for an election,” a source close to the interior minister told L’Orient-Le Jour.

‘If they were serious’

“If they [the March 8 parties] were serious about holding the elections, they could have found the means to finance them,” said MP Razi al-Hajj (Metn/Lebanese Forces).

According to Hajj, resorting to special drawings rights is the best solution the latest state budget does not include funds to finance the municipal elections.

“To remedy this flaw, Parliament must meet to amend the text and approve the necessary credits,” he said, noting that even the postponement of municipal elections requires a Parliament vote to amend the law. But Berri is still unable to convene the MPs to a legislative session.

This is because the main Christian parties insist that priority should be given to the election of a president. The Lebanese Forces intends to boycott any parliament meeting that is not devoted to the presidential election.

Kataeb “put forward proposals that do not require a parliament meeting, such as resorting to the central bank,” said MP Salim Sayegh (Kesrouan/Katabeb). “The caretaker government can meet [during a presidential vacancy] to study the necessary and urgent issues, including municipal elections.” Gebran Bassil’s Free Patriotic Movement said it is in favor of any approach that would ensure municipal elections. On Tuesday evening, the FPM parliamentary bloc called on the caretaker cabinet to make a decision, “whether negative or positive,” and “stop shifting the responsibility onto others.”

“No one will boycott meetings related to the municipal elections,” an MP close to the FPM told L’Orient-Le Jour, adding that they expect the joint committees to hold a session next week.

Yet, these meetings, for one reason or another, never lead to anything.

This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Joelle El Khoury.

“We don’t have the money to organize the municipal elections,” said caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi on Tuesday at the joint committee meeting in Parliament. This statement seems to confirm that the elections, currently scheduled for May, are likely to be postponed again. They were previously postponed from spring 2022 to 2023.But as political tension rises — as illustrated by...