A list of municipal candidates’ names lies on the floor of a Tripoli polling station, in front of a soldier, May 11, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient Today)
Election day proved tense in several polling stations across North Lebanon and Akkar on Sunday, where municipal elections were taking place, prompting Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar — on a visit to Tripoli — to declare that security forces “will not hesitate” to act and carry out arrests.
The army and police had to break up several altercations and intervene repeatedly throughout the day, notably in Fneideq, Akkar, where a dispute and crowd movement occurred at a women’s polling station. A soldier attempting to separate those involved was “assaulted,” while another person was stabbed. To ease tensions, a commando army patrol was dispatched, and several suspects were arrested. Voting continued without interruption despite the unrest.
Ensuring public order
In Bakhoun, in the Dinnieh region — where an earlier incident had already been reported in the morning — the situation remained tense throughout the day, according to our on-site reporter, Lyana Alameddine. Scuffles broke out in front of polling stations, where Internal Security Forces (ISF) tried to manage the flow of voters amid issues related to the presence of rival list delegates — supported by two MPs from the Samad family — inside the voting rooms. A 29-year-old woman, Rim Zaarouf, who had been waiting over an hour and a half to vote, lamented the frequent disputes disrupting the electoral process. “Such incidents shouldn’t happen,” she emphasized. Outside another male-only polling station, a delegate accused the rival list of irregularities, including claims that “three deceased individuals” had voted for them.
According to the state-run National News Agency (NNA), a scuffle broke out at the Bhanine school polling station between supporters of two rival electoral lists. Army and police forces intervened to separate those involved and restore calm. In Mar Touma, another altercation forced security forces to temporarily suspend the voting process to ease tensions.
Over 300 complaints filed
Around midday in Tripoli, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar addressed the unrest, stating that law enforcement and the army were “working to contain” the incidents. He urged voters to “put an end” to the tensions, affirming that “security forces will not hesitate to intervene and arrest anyone disturbing public order.” Hajjar added that the ministry was monitoring the electoral process minute by minute across the country and was responding to any violations or infractions immediately. He also mentioned that complaints received through the ministry’s emergency hotline were being processed, including those concerning delegate accreditations.
According to the ministry, more than 300 complaints were filed during the day, mostly in Akkar and Tripoli. Eighteen of them related to “security issues,” while over 250 were administrative, such as the delay in starting the vote in Btermaz due to a lack of voting booths. The minister also addressed the absence of staff in some polling stations, where civil servants had to be brought in as replacements.
Videos and testimonies alleging electoral fraud and vote-buying circulated in various Akkar localities, sparking mutual accusations between competing groups, our correspondent reported. These claims, which have yet to be verified, were submitted to relevant security services for investigation. In Bakhoun, one list accused the other of tampering with ballots by casting votes under the names of deceased individuals.
The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), meanwhile, published multiple posts on social media reporting numerous violations based on its observers’ findings in the region. These included breaches of the electoral silence rule, failure to protect voting secrecy, and instances where media accompanied MP Tony Frangieh behind the voting booth in Zgharta. LADE also reported that some polling stations allowed voters to cast ballots using photocopies of their ID instead of originals, and noted “pressure and intimidation” directed at voters.
