The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) on April 25 during the launch of the "observation operation for the year 2025," ten days before the start of the Lebanese municipal elections. (Photo published on LADE's Facebook account)
The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) noted on Friday "several violations" during the submission of candidacies for the municipal elections in Lebanon, which begin on May 4 and continue until the end of next month. The organization said the "sectarian and political bazaar" in Parliament on Thursday regarding the election issues in the capital, Beirut, in a statement published on its social networks, during the launch of the "observation operation for the year 2025." LADE explained that these violations will be documented "in its first report scheduled for next week."
The submission of candidacies, which opened on April 4, closed on April 23 at midnight, ten days before the start of the voting – which will begin in Mount Lebanon.
Additionally, regarding the situation of the "southern villages, particularly those along the border suffering large-scale destruction due to continuous Israeli attacks for more than a year and a half," the association called for ensuring the effective holding of municipal elections, to ensure the "periodicity of the elections."
Municipal elections are supposed to be held every six years. This election, which last took place in 2016, has been postponed each year since 2022 by Parliament due to the socio-economic crisis, and in 2024 because of the war against Israel in southern Lebanon.
LADE, an NGO founded in 1996, explained that its role during these elections will be structured in "three phases": a pre-electoral phase during which it will publish four reports, the election phase during which it will publish "two reports per voting day," and finally a post-electoral phase marked by a "final observation report."
'Sectarian and political bazaar'
The association also sharply criticized Thursday's parliamentary session on the amendment of the voting mode in Beirut, which took on sectarian overtones, against the backdrop of preserving the Islamic-Christian parity in the capital's municipal council, and the prerogatives of the president of the municipal council and those of the governor.
LADE denounced "the persistent approach of Parliament treating electoral deadlines as last-minute hostages and as cards in political confrontations," stating that "elections should constitute a regular constitutional appointment, organized according to a clear and fixed schedule."
"This approach not only threatens the proper functioning of democratic life but also weakens what remains of the trust of citizens in the electoral process and undermines the principle of equal opportunities in candidacy and voting," the association said.
Concerning the formation of candidate lists, which often reflect local, political, or family alliances, the statement said the "great uncertainty ... in many villages, where candidacies remain individual so far."
"It is also notable that several villages are moving towards candidacies by acclamation, without organizing elections," the NGO stated.
To contribute to the smooth conduct of the election, LADE also announced that it is relaunching its "electronic application intended to receive complaints and reports during the voting days" starting Friday.
