Counting in Tripoli nears completion: Hajjar denies fraud

BEIRUT — Interior Minister Ahmed Hajjar said Wednesday that the counting of municipal election results in Tripoli is nearing completion, though he acknowledged a number of irregularities during the process, according to local media reports.

"The delay of some employees in reaching their posts forced officials to call in other agents, less experienced in election procedures, which caused some confusion during the counting," Hajjar told reporters before a Cabinet meeting.

While noting the irregularities, the minister stressed they occurred in the presence of party delegates and media representatives. “It is therefore not possible to speak of fraud,” he said.

Hajjar explained that the counting committees, led by judges, ordered recounts in certain polling stations where anomalies were noted. “All ballots were preserved; none were lost,” he said. “In some cases, the votes were recounted in their entirety, with no evidence of fraud.”

He praised the committees for their efforts to complete the count under challenging circumstances. “This required more time, but it was essential to ensure transparency and accuracy,” he said.

Asked whether the elections in Tripoli might be rerun, Hajjar responded that the Interior Ministry has no authority to call for new elections. “Anyone wishing to challenge the results must wait for their official publication and then appeal to the State Council, in accordance with legal procedures,” he said.

On Tuesday, the minister visited Tripoli's courthouse for the second time in less than 24 hours, to closely monitor the counting operations and the publication of the municipal and mukhtars' election results, held on Sunday. The counting took place in a tense atmosphere, notably on Monday evening, marked by suspicions of fraud.

The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) requested the annulment of the municipal and mukhtars' elections in Tripoli, denouncing "multiple complaints reporting serious irregularities during the counting."

On Tuesday evening, the Ministry of Interior announced the results of the mukhtars' elections in Tripoli. Therefore, the municipal results are still pending.

Meanwhile, voters in Beirut and the Bekaa are set to head to the polls this Sunday. Elections in South Lebanon are scheduled for Saturday, May 24.