A woman in northern Lebanon voting in the 2025 municipal elections on May 11, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient Today)
Dozens of municipal councils in South Lebanon have been elected by acclamation, as the deadline for candidate withdrawals has been extended to midnight Friday, South Lebanon Governor Mansour Daou announced on Monday.
The extension aims to provide additional time for local families to engage in discussions and build consensus, which may lead to further wins by acclamation for municipal and electoral councils, according to Daou.
As of now, the withdrawal process for candidates in the municipal and electoral elections in South Lebanon, especially in Saida and its surrounding villages, remains ongoing, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the South reported.
"By midnight Sunday, 10 municipalities in the Saida district, which includes 48 municipalities, were won by acclamation," said Daou.
In Saida, 15 out of 111 candidates withdrew, and the head of the Mar Nicolas neighborhood was elected by acclamation, reducing the number of candidates for city elections to 58, our correspondent added.
In the Sour district, the following municipal councils were won by acclamation: Bastiat, Zloutiya, Nafakhia, al-Kaniseh, Haniya, Deir Qanoun Ras al-Ain, Wadi Jilo, Dibal, Alma al-Shaab, Toura, Jibbayn, Baflieh, Siddiqine, Yanouh, Qlaileh, al-Mansouri, Bdeias, Barish, al-Homayri, Halloussiyeh and Qana.
In Bint Jbeil: Khirbet Silm, Aita al-Jabal, Ghandourieh, Tiri, Kounin, Borj Qalaway, Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, Aita al-Jabal, Aita al-Shaab and Rashaf.
In the Marjayoun district: Bani Hayan, Mais al-Jabal, Toulin, Robb Thalathin, Tallousa, Taybeh, Sawaneh, Khiam and Mhayyeb.
In Saida and Zahrani: Qanaret, Arzi, Rabb Thalathin, Kawthariyet al-Siyyad, Sinay, Addousieh, Zita, Arkay, Qanaret, Zghadraiya and Qaaqaaiyet al-Sanoubar.
In Nabatieh: Kfar Sir, Azza, Qaaqaaiyet al-Jisr, Zibdin, Adsheet al-Qusair, Habboush, Harouf, Houmin Fawqa and Arab Salim.
The municipal elections in South Lebanon are set to take place on Saturday, in a region that has been severely impacted by the war between Hezbollah and Israel.
