Samir Geagea claims LF-backed list scored double the votes of rivals in Zahle l LIVE

This wraps up today's coverage of the municipal elections in Beirut and the Bekaa. We will resume reporting tomorrow morning with updated results and reactions.

“Alone against all, the Lebanese Forces secured more than double the votes,” Samir Geagea said, hailing the results in Zahle. “The electoral battle is over, and tomorrow is a new day for Zahle.”

“Today, we proved that Zahle is the Lebanese Forces, and the Lebanese Forces are Zahle,” he added.

Asked about the party’s alliance with Hezbollah in the Beirut municipal elections, despite their political rivalry, Geagea said: “Our stance on Hezbollah is clear, but in Beirut, the absolute priority was to preserve parity between the two faiths.”

Speaking from Maarab, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea congratulated “Zahle and its people” for “choosing sovereignty and Lebanon.” “They’re not going back to Zahle, now or later,” he said, using a party slogan to assert that the Free Patriotic Movement and Hezbollah had failed to gain ground in the Bekaa town.

In Beirut, the “Beirut Gathers Us” list — backed by traditional parties — is significantly ahead of rival lists, including Beirut Madinati, according to the Lebanese Forces’ electoral machine.

In Zahle, with 74 ballot boxes counted, Salim Ghazaleh, head of the Lebanese Forces-backed list, has secured 8,587 votes, compared with 4,656 for Assad Zgheib, who leads the rival list, according to the LF’s electoral machine.

According to the Lebanese Forces’ electoral machine, the “Heart of Zahle” list backed by the party has received 7,600 votes so far, compared with 4,100 for the rival list supported by other local political groups.

Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar visited several polling stations in Beirut to oversee ballot counting, according to the state-run National News Agency.

The "Together for the Development of Mashghara" list, backed by the Amal-Hezbollah alliance, claimed a total victory in Mashghara, western Bekaa, our correspondent reported.

The "Bkifa’s Pulse" list, led by Hicham Ghazaleh and backed by the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and local families, won a sweeping victory in the village of Bkifa (Rashaya district), according to the state-run National News Agency.

From Zahle, where the Lebanese Forces-backed list is leading, LF MP Georges Adwan said he was "present in solidarity with the MPs" of the town and the party leader, "who have been working for some time to organize these elections." He added that he was "waiting for the final results," which are not expected before Monday.

From Maarab, MP Sethrida Geagea — wife of LF leader Samir Geagea — urged supporters to “wait until at least half the votes have been counted before drawing conclusions,” while acknowledging that the LF-backed list had made significant gains in Zahle.

In Mreijat (Zahle district), the list headed by Elie Bachaalani and backed by the Lebanese Forces won the municipal elections, according to our correspondent. In Tal Zenoub, in the western Bekaa, the list led by Elie Sakr, also supported by the LF, secured victory.

In Hermel, where Hezbollah has declared victory, convoys of cars and motorbikes are parading through the streets, honking and waving party flags, according to a video shared by our correspondent.

The Lebanese Army deployed in the village of al-Marj, in the western Bekaa district, following disputes related to the municipal election, according to our regional correspondent and local media. 

The Amal-Hezbollah alliance claimed a complete victory for all members of its lists in municipal elections in Baalbeck, Douris and Brital, all located in the Baalbeck-Hermel district.

The "Ablah Unites Us" list, backed by the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), and headed by Joseph Abu Zeidan and Rabih Samaan, won in Ablah (Zahle), reported our regional correspondent. 

In Zahle, 33 out of 126 ballot boxes have been counted so far, according to the Lebanese Forces’ (LF) electoral machine.

The LF-backed list has secured around 3,800 votes, while the rival list supported by other political parties in the town has garnered about 1,950, the same source said.

The Amal-Hezbollah alliance has claimed victory in the municipal elections in several villages across the Bekaa and Baalbeck-Hermel districts, according to Hezbollah’s electoral machine.

These include: Ali al-Nahri, Rayak, Iaat, Hermel, Hazzarta, Temnine, Taalabaya, Ain, Laboueh, Nabi Osman, Bednayel, Beit Shamma, Brital, Ain Bourday, Bouday, Saraine, Nabi Sheet, Ksarnaba, Shmustar and Hosh al-Rafqa.

The list backed by MP Ghassan Skaf — an independent backed by the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) — has won the municipal race in Aita al-Fakhar, in the Rashaya district, according to our correspondent

Heavy gunfire was reported in Baalbeck shortly after vote counting began, our Bekaa correspondent reported.

Last Sunday, "celebratory" gunfire following election results in North Lebanon wounded at least two people. The army arrested dozens afterward, and on Thursday, Parliament passed a law doubling penalties for those responsible for such shootings.

L'Orient Today learned that Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea will address his supporters shortly from his home in Maarab. His message will especially target Zahle, where his party is locked in a fierce contest with other local political groups.

In Zahle, the list backed by the Lebanese Forces (LF) appears to be leading, according to preliminary counts. Meanwhile, convoys of honking cars waving LF flags are parading through the streets of the Bekaa capital, as seen in a video shared by our correspondent.

 Justice Minister Adel Nassar arrived at the Serail in Zahle, reported our correspondent in the Bekaa.

In the border village of Qaa (Baalbeck-Hermel), the list led by former municipal president Bachir Matar — and backed by the Lebanese Forces — secured a win, our correspondent reported.

In Tal Dhanoub (West Bekaa), a list headed by former municipal president Elie Saqr also came out on top, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

According to L'Orient Today's information, one polling station in Kark — a predominantly Shiite area in Zahle — remained open past the official closing time, raising concerns about a possible "delay in the vote count and the announcement of results," a Lebanese Forces (LF) official said. 

The LF official, whose party backs the "Heart of ZahlE" list, accused the Amal-Hezbollah alliance of “applying maximum pressure” on the opposing list. "But we expect a total victory, because Shiite pressure will not be able to break the will of the Christians," he added.

The Lebanese Forces electoral machine anticipates a total victory for the list it supports in Zahle, the party told L'Orient Today. 

In a statement, the Beirut Madinati coalition said several of its roaming delegates were barred from entering vote-counting centers after polls closed, “despite holding the required authorizations.”

The group condemned what it called “a flagrant violation of the principle of transparency and a clear infringement of our right to observe the electoral process to its conclusion.”

The Lebanese Army announced that security measures will continue tonight across the regions of Beirut, Bekaa, Baalbek and Hermel following the third round of municipal elections, until the results are officially published.

“After completing the voting process in the municipal and governate elections in Beirut, Bekaa, Baalbek and Hermel, deployed army units will maintain security to ensure a smooth vote count and results announcement,” the army said in a statement.

The statement also warned citizens against firing shots in the air that could endanger lives, stressing that offenders will face prosecution and arrest.

Our regional correspondent reported that Lebanese Army drones are patrolling the Mallaka and Zahle areas to prevent any security issues during the counting.

Earlier in the day, the army raided Mallaka and arrested a suspect over suspicions of vote-buying.

In the Baalbeck district, according to the Hezbollah electoral machine:

- The Loyalty and Development list, backed by the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, is said to have won all the seats in Baalbeck

- The "Shmustar unites us" list, supported by civil society, has so far won 3 of the 18 seats on the Shmustar municipal council

- Civil society is said to have made breakthroughs in Shaat and Iaat.

Preliminary results from the Bekaa governorate: 

- In Shtoura, the full “Shtoura is worth it” list, led by Michel Moutran, won the municipal election, our correspondent in the Bekaa reports.

- Meanwhile, in Meidoun, Western Bekaa, the Amal Movement list also secured victory.

Myriam Skaff, president of the Popular Bloc in Zahle, which backs the “Zahle's Decision and Vision” list supported by the Kataeb party as well as independent MPs Michel Daher and Georges Bouchikian, told L’Orient-Le Jour she will congratulate the winners “regardless of the outcome of the municipal race in Zahle.”

The contest pits “Zahle's Decision and Vision” against the “Heart of Zahle” list, backed by the Free Patriotic Movement.

“We will stand by the new municipal council to help it fulfill its mission in the city’s best interest,” Skaff said, urging all sides to “keep political disputes away from Zahle’s municipality.”

According to an initial count by the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities, turnout at 7 p.m. was as follows:

Beirut: 21.03 percent (compared with 20.14 percent in 2016)

Zahle district: 46.06 percent (52.6 percent in 2016)

Rashaya district: 37.02 percent (43.5 percent in 2016);

Baalbeck district: 48.61 percent (62 percent in 2016);

Western Bekaa district: 42.91 percent (42 percent in 2016);

Hermel district: 35.7 percent (45 percent in 2016).

The average rate in the Bekaa and Hermel was 45.23 percent, compared with 49 percent in 2016.

Shortly after the polls closed, Michel Helou, secretary-general of the National Bloc and former executive director of L’Orient-Le Jour, told our newspaper his party — supporting the Beirut Madinati list — was “proud to have fought a big battle against the traditional political parties, born from unholy alliances.”

"We are also proud to have faced giant electoral machines that sought to perpetuate practices based on the logic of sharing the cake," he added.

“I therefore consider that we have won the battle, whatever the results,” Helou concluded.

All polling stations in Beirut and the Bekaa have officially closed, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Voters who were still inside at the 7 p.m. closing time were allowed to cast their ballots.

Counting of votes is now underway.

New voting incidents reported in the Bekaa

- In Hosh al-Harim, West Bekaa, tensions between rival electoral lists escalated into a physical altercation that disrupted the vote. The Lebanese Army stepped in to restore order.

- Meanwhile, in Qamed al-Loz, gunfire broke out during an election-related dispute, though no injuries were reported. The reason for the incident wasn’t immediately clear. Army troops later searched the home of the suspected gunman and his relatives.

The Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities announced updated turnout figures:

- Beirut: 18.12 percent

- Baalbeck-Hermel: 41.67 percent

- Bekaa: 38.35 percent

During a visit to the Henri Chehab barracks in Beirut, Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal praised the “efficient work” of the institutions organizing the municipal elections and commended the army’s role in maintaining security.

“Compromising security is forbidden,” he said, adding that following the arrests of suspected gunmen and troublemakers during earlier rounds of voting, troops would continue to detain anyone trying to disrupt the process.

The Beirut Madinati coalition denied issuing any statement announcing its withdrawal from the municipal race.

The opposition list said a fake statement was being circulated and slammed it as “fabricated information,” and a "desperate attempt" aimed at "misleading voters before polls closed," the group said.

Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, touring the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel districts, said the voting process was going smoothly, with only minor security incidents that were quickly contained.

Looking ahead to southern Lebanon, Hajjar announced that municipal elections there are scheduled for next Saturday, in coordination with local authorities and the cease-fire monitoring committee.

He emphasized the need to ensure both the integrity of the vote and the safety of citizens.

Bekaa Governor Kamal Abou Jaoudeh said four complaints were received through election hotlines today, but none led to serious disruptions. All issues were resolved without halting the voting process.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he was generally satisfied with the government’s preparations — particularly those of the Interior Ministry — but expressed disappointment with the low voter turnout, according to local media.

"The turnout is still very low, and I call on my people in Beirut to go out and vote," he said.

Salam added: “I’m confident the people of Beirut understand how important it is for everyone to take part in choosing their city council. It's important to me that they don't miss the opportunity to choose those who will represent them."

Speaking to our regional correspondent, Hassan Ali Hamad, a 34-year-old resident of Yohmor in West Bekaa, said:

"In municipal elections, it's important for us to choose the right person to manage village affairs and meet citizens' needs, in a capable state. Our needs are those of any ordinary citizen: water, services and infrastructure. I built my house three years ago, and, to this day, there’s still no paved road to reach it. I’m still using a dirt path full of stones."

Asked by our correspondent in the South, Hassan Ali Ahmad, a 34-year-old man from Yohmor, in Western Bekaa, said:

"Municipal elections are important for choosing the right person to manage village affairs and meet citizens’ needs, in a capable state. Our needs are those of any ordinary citizen: water, services and infrastructure. I built my house three years ago, and to this day, there’s still no paved road to access it — I still have to go through dirt and stone paths."

The Ministry of Interior and Municipalities has released the latest update on voter turnout rates in the governorates of Beirut, Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel. The figures are as follows:

- Beirut: 15.38 percent

- Baalbek-Hermel: 35.30 percent

- Bekaa: 33.42 percent

Following suspicions of vote buying, the Lebanese Army Intelligence Services raided a Hezbollah campaign office in Maalaqa, in the Zahle region, reports our correspondent in the Bekaa.

Several people, including two members of the intelligence branch, were injured during the operation. About 15 young men were present at the site at the time of the intervention.

Islam al-Ghandour, a 33-year-old woman from Joub Jannine (located in the Bekaa Valley), told our correspondent in the region: "Elections contribute to accountability, transparency, the development of village economies and the strengthening of democracy. They also provide the village with responsible officials in case of demands."

Jamal Soueidan, a native of Rashaya, told L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the Bekaa that “the importance of today’s municipal elections lies in the fact that they are a democratic process that can bring forward a new elite capable of focusing on development and committing time to municipal work.”

“One of our key demands is the automation of public services,” he added.

Meanwhile, Amani Sami Bou Al-Hassan, a 42-year-old resident of Saadnayel, said: “Family rivalries are intense between the Vision and Action and Saadnayel Unites Us lists, with high voter turnout early in the day.”

“Our main demands center around development and reform in our village,” she told L’Orient Today.

In central Baalbeck, a mix of traditional party flags and banners supporting Baalbeck Madinati could be seen today. However, flags of traditional parties were noticeably more prominent, with fewer visible signs of support for the opposition-backed list.

Abbas Tleiss, a Baalbeck resident, told L’Orient Today that “people affiliated with certain political parties went around the city last night tearing down Baalbeck Madinati posters. They clearly see them as a threat.”

Tleiss said he would not vote because he works as a delivery driver at a local restaurant and cannot take time off.

A dispute broke out inside the polling station at the public high school in Ghazzeh – West Bekaa, between Internal Security Forces officers and delegates, according to L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah. The situation escalated, prompting the military to fire warning shots into the air and arrest two individuals.

Another altercation occurred in Qaraq (Zahle district), where the Lebanese Army also intervened.

Meanwhile, a dispute between two municipal council candidates in the town of Fakiha escalated into a physical fight between their supporters. The army stepped in to break up the clash.

Bilal Soueid, a 44-year-old teacher from Bar Elias, told our correspondent that the future municipal council must prioritize solving the town’s landfill problem, which frequently catches fire, and addressing the foul odors from the Litani River, “which cause cancer.”

“It’s also necessary to pave the roads leading to the agricultural plain,” he added. “Securing access to clean drinking water and reorganizing the town entrance — where sidewalks have turned into markets for shoes and clothing — is crucial. Additionally, there should be regulation of tax collection from displaced people living in the area.”

Youssef al-Murr, a resident of Zahle, told our Bekaa correspondent Sarah Abdallah that the elections should focus primarily on development.

“We have many demands in Zahle, especially when it comes to boosting activity, organizing events, tourism, and development,” he said.

Mandy Moussallem, 27, a candidate on the Vision and Decision list in Zahle, said: “The Lebanese Forces do not provide continuity in Zahle. They have lots of ideas but never follow through, whereas we’re proposing more stable development.”

At the Makased School in Bashoura, Beirut, Noura, 25, a resident of Tariq al-Jadideh, votes for the first time. “We’re waiting for life; they buried us alive,” she says. During the war, the young woman sought refuge in Aley before returning to her damaged home in January. “No one can change anything. As long as Hezbollah hasn’t given up its weapons and there’s a state within a state, nothing will change. But I came to vote because I still have a little hope."

In Zahle, the Civil Defense assists a disabled person in accessing a polling station. (Credit: Renee Davis / L'Orient-Le Jour)

According to local media outlets, the updated turnout in the municipal elections is as follows:

- Beirut: 12 percent

- Zahle: 26 percent

- Western Bekaa: 24 percent

- Rashaya: 22 percent

- Hermel: 21 percent

- Baalbek: 26 percent

“We need to develop Zahle’s economy by building hotels for tourists and expanding other sectors, like retail. I hope our new municipality will succeed in this,” said Samir Sader, 60, from a prominent Zahle family.

At the Omar Fakhour School near the Sports City in Beirut, three polling station managers are discussing. “We’re surprised by the low turnout. People are fed up. It’s always the same faces,” one of them says. “People want young candidates.”

“Yes, but not young people from outside Lebanon. You don’t know what’s in their minds if they’re being manipulated,” responds the other. The third one says she will vote for change in Nabatieh. “Because taking the same people and starting over — we’ve seen where that got us this year!” she adds, referring to the recent war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Hamad Dalloul, a local manakeesh (Levantine flatbread) bakery owner, was handing out lahme baajeen (meat pies), to voters in al-Qalaa, in Baalbeck district.

“I’m not running, and I would never run,” he told L’Orient Today. “I’m just handing them out because some people came from other towns, maybe even Beirut, to vote — the hospitality of the Baalbaki people in me came out.”

A polling station at the Hawsh al-Oumara school in Zahle. (Credit: Renee Davis / L'Orient-Le Jour)

In Zahle, Caline Abou Akl Dorido, 22, says: “It’s my first time voting. I’m full of hope for Zahle. I’m a medical student, and I don’t want to have to go to Beirut to find a job. I want more opportunities for young people in my hometown.”

In Beirut, a couple in their fifties came from Saida: “We paid a million pounds to come, and we can’t find our polling station. Some people say it’s in Mazraa, others in Ras al-Nabeh… I don’t even know where that is, we haven’t lived in Beirut for ages,” the woman said, frustrated. “The parties should reimburse us for our travel.”

Nawal Takla, in her seventies, arrives at the polling station at the Armenian Evangelical school in Hamra (Beirut). “Write that it’s a mess, as usual!” she tells our reporter on the scene.

A policewoman asks her about her sect. “You see? This is shocking too. I’m Lebanese, that’s all!” she says before reluctantly answering. She voted for the full Beirut Unites Us list, even though “nothing unites them!” she says. “It’s all talk. But, well, it’s my duty as a citizen, a duty I’ve never missed. As a woman from Beirut, I don’t understand how people can be so sectarian when we grew up together.”

At this polling station, a policeman notes that “there are more journalists than voters.” His colleague estimates 200 voters have cast their ballots since the morning. “Yet, the mass is over,” he observes. This polling station has about 6,000 registered voters.

Youssef Darido, 52, voted in Zahle this Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Renee Davis / L'Orient-Le Jour)

Youssef Darido, 52, explained that he “was lucky because my polling station was on the first floor” of the public school in Hawsh al-Oumara, in Zahle. “But for others with disabilities, accessibility was very difficult because there is no elevator to reach the second floor,” he noted.

A festive atmosphere in Zahle for the municipal elections on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Renee Davis / L'Orient-Le Jour)

“I was supposed to vote for Beirut Madinati because I want to support change, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I made my own exclusively Christian list after seeing the video where people vote for 24 Sunnis. It shocked me so much, so I’m doing the same,” said Monique, outside the Armenian Evangelical school in Hamra.

Her son, voting for the first time after returning to Lebanon “for good,” did the same, convinced before his mother that it was the only choice to make. “They’re more numerous than we are; we can’t afford to mix,” he said, hopeful that Beirut will change.

An unverified video is circulating on social media in which Beirut residents explain they are voting “exclusively Sunni” or “exclusively Christian,” crossing out non-Christian or non-Sunni names from the two main opposition lists (Beirut Madinati and Beirut Unites Us).

In Gemmayzeh, Ayda and her son Samer came from Tripoli to vote this Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury / L'Orient-Le Jour)

In Gemmayzeh, Ayda and her son Samer came from Tripoli to vote. “It’s our national duty, but also our sense of belonging to Beirut that’s at stake,” said the young man. After gathering information, he plans to vote for the “expert profiles” on the Beirut Madinati list, even though he admits he doesn’t have a concrete understanding of the list’s platform.

A fight broke out inside a polling station in Saadnayel (Zahle district), and the Lebanese Army intervened, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa.

Additionally, in the village of Kamed el-Laouz in Western Bekaa, unidentified assailants fired shots at the voting machine for the “Development of Kamed al-Loz” list, lightly injuring one citizen, our correspondent reported. The army immediately intervened and pursued the attackers.

In Beirut, Jean Claude Dib will not vote this Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury / L'Orient-Le Jour)

Jean Claude Dib collects party lists but will not vote. “They’re all thieves, all the same.” This Rmeil resident, an electrician, lives above the "Tante Souad" mini-market in Geitaoui. His house was destroyed in the double explosion at the port on Aug. 4, 2020. No party helped him. “I only believe in one person now: President [Joseph] Aoun, if he continues to do good work.”

A woman in her fifties waits for her husband outside the Tariq al-Jadideh school in Qasqas before heading off to vote elsewhere. “We don’t vote for the same people. We make our own mix from all confessions, like true Beiruti citizens. That’s what everyone should do. I’m ashamed when I hear people say they vote ‘only Sunni’ or ‘only Christian,’” she said. “I really want clean people to do the work. Just look at this neighborhood — it’s shameful. Those who’ve been running Beirut must be held accountable.” 

Jad Saliba, who came to vote in Zahle accompanied by his niece, this Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Renee Davis / L'Orient-Le Jour)

Jad Saliba, 39, a Zahle native, came to vote with his niece and said he was “optimistic about these elections. Even though the last ones took place in 2016, Zahle is still clean and well-maintained, so I’m not worried about the outcome.”

Cars displaying the Lebanese Forces flag in Zahle, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Renee Davis / L’Orient-Le Jour)

In Zahle, the voter turnout was 14.2 percent at 11:30 a.m., according to our reporter on the ground, Renee Davis.

In Rmeil, Siham came to vote with her son and husband for the list of traditional parties, particularly the Kataeb and the Lebanese Forces, who allied with Hezbollah.

“I have nothing to say — as long as they agreed, I respect that,” said her husband as they headed to the ballot box at this school overlooking the Beirut port.

Noura is a delegate for the “Beirut Unites Us” list on behalf of the Kataeb Party, this Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury/L’Orient-Le Jour)

Noura, 22, is voting for the first time in Rmeil.

She is a delegate for the “Beirut Unites Us” list, representing the Kataeb Party. For her, the local alliance with Hezbollah and Amal is not a problem “as long as everyone works for Beirut, using common sense and in the public interest.”

In the town of al-Qalaa, Baalbeck district, barely a few cars can be seen on the road, centers are almost empty.

A man in his early 30s attempted to enter one of the voting centers while having a gun in his back pocket. He was immediately stopped by the police and a small verbal fight is ongoing.

A supporter of the Amal Movement in Douris told our publication that this vote is “extremely important”: “It will show us whether people will still vote for us [and Hezbollah] next year during the parliamentary elections, when their vote will matter more.”

Imane Chehadeh, who lost two of her sons in October 2024 during the war between Israel and Hezbollah, said that Hezbollah told her voting for them was “important in this election.” “That’s why I’m here,” she confirmed.

In Douris, at a hair salon, Dayana*, a 24-year-old unemployed woman, said she wouldn’t vote unless someone paid her.

Though the owner usually closes on Sundays, she opened today because many residents from Beirut had come to the area for the elections.

Dayana* said she would “hang around” polling centers around 3:30 p.m.,“when candidates start getting desperate for votes and are willing to pay.”

“Ethics don’t feed my family,” she concluded.

The salon owner, a Syrian from Aleppo, said she was surprised that most of her customers were voting for Hezbollah: “They saw what Assad (Bashar al-Assad, the party’s ally) did, and they’ve seen photos and videos of his prisons. Why wouldn’t they vote for someone else?”

Still, she said she prefers to stay “on good terms” with her clients, whom she considers “like family,” rather than engage in political battles.

An inspector from the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) checked polling stations at the Tariq al-Jadideh Girls’ School in Qasqas (Beirut) and told our publication that some booths did not display candidate lists:

“Those who didn’t take a list at the entrance are lost and vote randomly.”

In several classrooms, voting booths were missing lists altogether or only had incomplete ones.

In Douris, in the Baalbeck district, many residents who had come from Beirut returned to their hometown to vote in the municipal elections.

“This election is our chance to show our support for the only party that supported us during the last war,” said Hussein Sujod, accompanied by his two 23-year-old daughters, without naming the party.

In a different tone, Dana* said her family was voting for the head of a municipality affiliated with Hezbollah.

“I would never do that. Hezbollah is delusional —militarily and internally. Enough is enough,” she told our reporter on the ground, Ghadir Hamadi.

Ali Sujod, a 57-year-old resident of the town, is not voting:

“It’s pointless and a joke. No matter who we vote for, nothing will change. Just like nothing changed in recent years, even though I voted for different lists when I was young and full of hope,” said Ali, smoking shisha outside the bakery he owns in the area.

“I’m about to start my Sunday barbecue with my family — that’s what matters,” he concluded.

Dani Mazloum, who lives in Canada and is in Lebanon to “check in on his family after the war,” said he would not vote, since he doesn’t live in the country.

“Those whose votes count should vote. Whatever the outcome, I won’t be personally affected,” he said, after buying 80 manakish to distribute at a center in Douris.

“I’m just going for the atmosphere and the fun. It’s been four years since I last came to Lebanon.”

The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) documented a violation of voting secrecy at a polling station in Ersal (Baalbeck district), where a delegate from the “For Ersal” list handed a ballot to a voter behind the voting booth.

“This practice constitutes a blatant violation of the principle of free and secret voting, and a form of pressure on the voters’ will inside polling stations,” said LADE in a statement responding to the incident.

Malaki, 86, came to vote with her son in the Sodeco neighborhood of Beirut, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury / L’Orient-Le Jour)

At the entrance to the Ali Ben Abi Taleb Baydoun School polling station in Sodeco, delegates from the “Beirut Unites Us” list were present in large numbers.

Delegates from Beirut Madinati were much fewer and kept a low profile: they reported finding their tent dismantled when they arrived early in the morning.

Nearby, members of the “Children of the City” list were seen approaching voters.

Malaki, 86, came to vote with her son Ghassan.

“We want things to change. Some people have plans, they want to work,” said Ghassan, who said he chose his list after reviewing several platforms and receiving many calls from political parties.

Ibrahim Beydoun, 49, who describes himself as a “child of Achrafieh,” voted at Makassed School.

“Parity between Christians and Muslims is very important. Without it, there can be no national unity. We must move forward hand in hand,” he said.

The Ministry of the Interior has shared updated voter turnout rates for the municipal elections:

• Beirut: 4.08 percent

• Bekaa: 10.42 percent

• Baalbeck: 10.34 percent

• Hermel: 8.80 percent

• Zahle: 11.39 percent

• Rashaya: 8.82 percent

• West Bekaa: 9.43 percent

Additionally, according to the ministry, the number of registered complaints has reached 152.

Our correspondent in the Bekaa reported that the voter turnout in Zahle has reached 10 percent, according to the electoral machine of the Lebanese Forces.

Rea, 37, voted at a polling station in Ashrafieh, Beirut, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Stephanie Khoury / L’Orient-Le Jour)

At Sassine Square, Rea, 37, is voting for the first time in municipal elections, choosing the Beirut Madinati list. She says she’s doing it “for her children, to avoid repeating the same patterns.”

“With everything that’s happening, and the new government, this is the first truly serious election,” she states.

Therese, 67, says she came to vote out of a “sense of duty” for a “mixed” list that brings together “everyone, all parties, and all religious sects.”

“We want unity — this list includes a bit of everything, and I liked that,” she says.

“I have no idea what they actually plan to do, for now we’re focusing on the political aspect,” she adds.

At the Azarieh polling station in Sassine, Ashrafieh neighborhood, voters are lining up to cast their ballots.

“It’s a national duty. I go out and vote in every election — it’s the only thing we can do to hope things will change,” says Chadia Sayrafi, 57.

Overnight and in the early morning hours, several tents belonging to the Beirut Madinati list were vandalized, according to an anonymous source within the movement. The source also said that sandwich delivery workers, bringing food to list delegates, were assaulted by supporters of rival lists, reports our journalist on the ground, Stephanie Khoury.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, called on party supporters to vote for the “Beirut Unites Us” list. This list also includes the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb, Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Tashnag Party.

“Voting is a responsibility and a duty. Parity in Beirut is a tradition — but more than that, it’s a formula, a pact, and a model of coexistence… I call on all our supporters, friends, and close circles to vote for the full list, without crossing out any names, so as not to undermine our national pact… and so that ‘Beirut Unites Us’ may live on,” said Bassil.

In another post regarding the elections in Zahlé, the FPM leader added:

“Beirut is the capital of all of us, and Zahle, with its diversity, remains the capital of Catholicism in the East. Our duty is to protect all its people, and no one can erase anyone from its equation or identity. Today, God willing, it will once again prove that it will always remain the bride of the Bekaa, through a democratic celebration that reflects its diversity — and no one can claim that the city belongs to them alone.”

In a statement relayed by the National News Agency (NNA), the Ministry of Justice reminded all citizens that “any breach of security, particularly celebratory gunfire, will be dealt with with the utmost severity and will be subject to legal prosecution.”

According to the statement, the Minister of Justice, Adel Nassar, has instructed the Public Prosecutor’s Office to show zero tolerance toward those who engage in celebratory gunfire and to prosecute anyone attempting to intervene, negotiate, or exert pressure for their release.

“The Minister of Justice also wishes to emphasize that the lives and safety of citizens are a red line, and that criminal acts marked by irresponsibility, lack of humanity, and disregard for the lives of Lebanese men and women can in no way be justified,” the statement adds.

A voter at a polling station in Beirut, on May 18, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient-Le Jour)

Regions concerned and competing lists: find here some key points to understand the municipal elections in Beirut and the Bekaa.

In Ain al-Mreisseh, along Beirut’s coastline, a couple in their seventies complains: the polling stations are located on the fourth and fifth floors. They voted for a list that maintains Christian-Muslim parity, but not for change. “Maybe we should’ve given it a try,” the wife admits with some regret.

Our correspondent in the Bekaa reported that a list of 12 candidates won Saturday night’s elections by acclamation in the village of Hizzine (Baalbeck district). The list includes candidates from Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, as well as individuals unaffiliated with either party.

Voter turnout in the village of Niha (Zahle district) has so far reached 15 percent, according to our correspondent in the Bekaa.

The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) announced in a statement that contact has been lost with Ali Saleh Othman, a delegate working with the “Baalbeck, Madinati” list, in the center of the Rich al-Gharbi neighborhood. According to LADE, he was in possession of the delegate authorizations for the list.

“Baalbeck, Madinati” is running in opposition to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

A dispute broke out inside a polling station in the village of Harbata, in the Bekaa, and the Lebanese Army temporarily closed the center, according to our correspondent in the region.

In Zoqaq al-Blat, the tents of the Amal and Hezbollah parties are filled with volunteers, engaging voters as soon as they arrive. “There have been a lot of people since this morning,” says a volunteer, despite a rather empty polling station, as our journalist on site, Caroline Hayek, observed.

“After everything we’ve been through this year, the minimum is to fulfill our duty as citizens. Only he [Hezbollah] can defend us,” says a woman in her fifties.

In order to maintain security and stability in the Bekaa during the municipal elections, the Lebanese Army has been conducting patrols and setting up mobile checkpoints since Friday, according to a statement from the army relayed by our correspondent in the Bekaa, Sarah Abdallah.

The Lebanese Army urged citizens in the Bekaa to demonstrate awareness and national responsibility, to refrain from any disruption of security, and to avoid celebratory gunfire under any pretext.

“What is happening on the ground today clearly indicates that the security forces will not tolerate any breach of security or celebratory gunfire, and that legal measures will be taken against anyone disturbing public order or threatening citizens’ safety,” the statement adds.

The polling station at Lycee Abdel Kader, in the Beirut neighborhood of Zokak el-Blat, is almost empty this Sunday morning. (Credit: Caroline Hayek / L’Orient-Le Jour)

At Lycee Abdel Kader, in the Beirut neighborhood of Zoqaq al-Blat, Rana*, 23, is voting for the first time: “Despite everything people say about the elections — that they’re pointless — I’m here. It’s important. We need people who make a difference and who truly protect Beirut,” she says, accompanied by her 25-year-old friend who is voting for the second time. “I felt the difference last time, so I’m doing it again,” the latter affirms.

*Name has been changed.

Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh announced last night that the Hezbollah and Amal Movement list had won the elections by acclamation in the village of al-Qasr (Hermel district).

Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad Hajjar during a tour of polling stations in Beirut on Sunday morning. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient-Le Jour)

During a visit this morning to the Omar Fakhoury School in the Jnah neighborhood of Beirut, Interior and Municipalities Minister Ahmad Hajjar stated that the capital deserves a municipal council that represents it with dignity, and expressed hope for an increase in voter turnout throughout the day.

Referring to last Sunday’s election, during which numerous irregularities were observed — particularly in Tripoli — the minister explained that the issue was due to absenteeism in the polling and counting stations. However, he added that the situation had been corrected by the counting committees and that the announced results were accurate.

With more than a million voters concerned by this third (and largest) round of voting, the election will primarily serve as a popularity test for Sunni, Christian and Shiite political actors.

Find here Salah Hijazi’s analysis of the key battles to watch.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam voted early this morning in Beirut. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient-Le Jour)

Welcome to our live coverage of this third electoral Sunday, as part of the municipal elections taking place every weekend in May.

Today, voters from Beirut, the Bekaa and Baalbeck-Hermel are called to the polls to elect new municipal councils and mokhtars (officials in charge of civil status matters).

Throughout the day, our journalists across the various regions will provide live updates on the atmosphere at polling stations, give a voice to the voters, and share turnout figures and reactions from officials regarding how the vote is unfolding.