Lebanon’s June 7 election was fundamentally peaceful and well administered and should provide the basis for confidence in the electoral process, according to a statement issued by an NDI election observer mission. The delegation was composed of short- and long-term observers from 22 countries who were deployed throughout the country to offer an impartial assessment of the polls.

Excerpt from the preliminary statement offered by the delegation:

The Lebanese people went to the polls on June 7 to elect a new parliament. They did so under a new electoral law and administration agreed to by all political contestants. This represents a significant step toward transparency and confidence in the process and the development of Lebanon and its institutions as a sovereign state. The Lebanese people should be proud of the progress made in the electoral process.

Too often Lebanon has been defined by events and actors outside the country’s borders. NDI is part of a growing network of friends of Lebanon who agree that Lebanon’s people alone should determine the country’s future.

Lebanon’s history and sectarian divisions have given rise to a unique electoral system based on an allocation of seats along confessional lines. The outcome in some districts was pre-determined by political deals among contestants, but the enthusiasm and voter turnout on election day demonstrated that there is significant political competition and that voters regard the parliamentary elections as an opportunity to shape their country’s future.

 

 

• Listen to NPR's story on the election featuring NDI's Leslie Campbell