This is Beirut

Municipal Elections in Southern Lebanon: Clinging to Power

Elie Ziadé, 23/05 16:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

South Lebanon Amal Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Gebran Bassil Hezbollah

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 24, 2025, nearly one million voters (993,582) in Southern Lebanon will cast their ballots to elect 3,486 municipal councilors and 781 mukhtars across 272 municipal councils. This Saturday also marks the end of this municipal election month, the first in 9 years; the last elections were held in ...

Nabatiyeh Heads to the Polls: Voting in the Shadow of War

Lyne Sammouri, 23/05 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Israel

Walking through Nabatiyeh, one sees not only electoral banners and candidate posters, but also rows of portraits of those killed by Israeli strikes during the 2024 Hezbollah-Israel war. Among them are elected municipal officials, including the late municipal president Ahmed Kaheel. Yet, despite the scars of war, Nabatiyeh is gearing up for ...

Jezzine Municipal Elections: FPM and LF Face Off in Close Race

Élie-Joe Kamel, 21/05 12:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Amal Jezzine Municipal

Jezzine Municipal Elections: FPM and LF Neck and Neck With municipal elections scheduled for Saturday, May 24, 2025, the southern Lebanese town of Jezzine is bracing for a vote with significant political consequences. Beneath the calm facade of this picturesque destination—famous for its 40-meter waterfall and home to Lebanon’s largest stone ...

Trump’s Regional Peace Play: A New Pax Americana?

Philippe Abi-Akl, 20/05 08:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Donald Trump Amal Hezbollah Israel Joseph Aoun

Donald Trump’s whirlwind tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE was far more than a ceremonial diplomatic visit. Grounded in deep strategic, political and economic stakes, it marked a decisive attempt to recast the American role in a region long scarred by conflict and fractured alliances. Arriving with a regional peace blueprint in hand, ...

Baalbeck Votes: A Usual Election Draped in Yellow

This is Beirut, 18/05 12:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Amal Baalbeck Hezbollah

On Sunday, May 18, Baalbeck heads to the polls draped in yellow and green. The dominance of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance remains strong, while civil society struggles to make an impact. Amid the city’s lingering wounds from war, hope for change persists.

Baalbeck: Tribes, Parties and Elections

Chelsea Al Arif, 14/05 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Baalbeck Municipal Elections Hezb Amal

Following the first two weeks of municipal elections in Mount and North Lebanon, attention now turns to Baalbeck, set to vote on May 18. The city is distinguished by its strong tribal affiliations and active political scene. Tribal Structures and Political Alliances In Baalbeck, tribal affiliations have historically played a significant role in ...

Mount Lebanon Votes: Early Tallies Hint at New Political Balance

This is Beirut, 05/05 12:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Amal Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Hezbollah Kataëb PSP

The first phase of municipal elections concluded on Sunday evening with the closure of polling stations in Mount Lebanon at 7:00 PM. Voter turnout stood at 45.08%, slightly below the 47.4% recorded in 2016. As ballot counting got underway, early results began revealing key trends across several districts. On Monday morning, Mount Lebanon Governor ...

Lebanon’s Municipal Elections Signal a Shift in Political Power

Michel Touma, 05/05 08:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces Municipal elections\ Kataeb

These are no ordinary municipal elections. The first round, held on Sunday, May 4, in the strategically significant Mount Lebanon region, marks more than just a local vote. This election, and those to follow across the country in the coming weeks, could break with past patterns. What sets this moment apart is the broader context: a time of ...

Municipal Elections 2025: Mount Lebanon Kicks Off the Race

Elie Ziadé, 03/05 14:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Amal Free Patriotic Movement Gebran Bassil Hezbollah Joseph Aoun

{{MAP:10}} The long-awaited municipal and mukhtar elections are finally underway in Lebanon, nine years after the last vote and following three postponements. On Sunday, May 4, 2025, 897,254 registered voters in Mount Lebanon will head to the polls, marking the start of the country’s electoral month. Traditionally active in ...

Municipal Elections Set Stage for Legislative Showdown

Johnny Kortbawi, 02/05 15:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Free Patriotic Movement Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces

The municipal elections, even indirectly, will have a significant impact on the upcoming parliamentary elections. Many of these coalitions may not endure, but they reveal how political actors are positioning themselves—not just in relation to their allies, but more tellingly, to their rivals. In Metn, the alliance between the Free Patriotic ...

Mega-Voting Centers: A Comprehensive Guide

Sana Richa Choucair, 30/04 18:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Israel South Lebanon

Tens of thousands of displaced voters, devastated towns and an approaching election deadline. As South Lebanon continues to bear the heavy toll of the war with Israel, a pressing question looms: How can citizens, forced to flee their homes, still exercise their right to vote? For many observers and reform advocates, mega-centers offer a pragmatic ...

All Eyes Turned on the Municipal Elections in Dahyeh

Hala Abdallah, 29/04 11:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Southern suburbs Hezbollah Amal Municipal elections

As Lebanon prepares for its first municipal elections since the October 2023 war with Israel, attention is turning to the southern suburbs of Beirut, or Dahyeh—a bastion of Hezbollah. The Shiite-majority area has long been under the political influence of Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement. But this year’s vote carries significance far ...

Amal