EU Election Observation Mission Chief Visits Lebanon

Elena Valenciano, head of the European Union's Election Observation Mission deployed during the last Lebanese elections, has spent the week in Beirut, to follow up on the mission’s recommendations, the EU Delegation said.

Valenciano was accompanied by a team of electoral experts and EU officials and met with a wide range of Lebanese officials.

Valenciano met with President Michel Aoun, caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, caretaker Deputy PM Zeina Akar and caretaker Minister of Interior Mohammed Fahmi.

She also met with the Supervisory Commission for Elections (SCE), and held meetings with the leaders of the Free Patriotic Movement, the al-Mustaqbal Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Amal Movement, Hizbullah, the Kataeb Party, and the Progressive Socialist Party, as well as representatives of emerging political movements and women seeking to increase their presence in the political arena.

In addition, Valenciano met with representatives of organizations working on different aspects of the electoral framework.

Following these exchanges, Valenciano noted that they converged on the prospects of elections next year.

“I am encouraged by the commitment of all political leaders to holding the elections scheduled for 2022 on time,” she said.

Valenciano referred to the challenges currently facing Lebanon and the fact that "these had made it difficult to proceed with much-needed legal reforms."

"Lebanon has faced a number of significant difficulties since the 2018 elections, and that context has not been conducive to implementing the recommendations made by the European Union election observation mission," she added.

"We maintain that these should be considered as part of the ongoing process of shaping the electoral framework in Lebanon, and debated by Lebanese stakeholders at a later date," she went on to say.

Valenciano also emphasized that in view of the elections foreseen next year, some measures were nonetheless possible, necessary and urgent.

“In the time remaining before the elections scheduled for 2022, several measures should be taken promptly, with a view to ensuring inclusive elections with equal access to campaigning for all. To that end, the Supervisory Commission for Elections urgently needs to be installed: its members need to be nominated, and the Commission needs to be provided with the resources to fully carry out its mandate of overseeing compliance with campaign spending limits, and regulating equal access to media coverage for candidates and lists presenting their programs to Lebanese citizens," she said.

"Such measures, aiming to ensure a level playing field for all election contenders, are particularly important in times of political, economic and social crisis such as the one Lebanon is currently going through,” she went on to say.

Valenciano added that once officially installed and provided with the resources to "genuinely" oversee campaign finances and media coverage, the Commission should plan on how to make full use of its legal mandate, including through publishing clear guidelines and initiating constant communication to the media and the public in general.

Valenciano also emphasized the importance of Lebanese women gaining access to elected positions of decision-making, after just 6 women were elected to the outgoing parliament.

“While we maintain that a minimum quota for women in parliament would be an efficient way to rapidly improve the balance of women and men in positions of power, I call on all political parties to markedly increase the number of women in their candidate lists, and to ensure equal support and prominence for their campaigns. I also call on the media to ensure that women candidates and their campaigns be given equal coverage in the press.”

Touching on the profound challenges currently faced by Lebanon, Valenciano hoped voters would take the opportunity of the elections to express their will, adding: "It is precisely in times of crisis that it is all the more important that citizens participate in shaping the country’s future."

Valenciano added the upcoming elections represent an opportunity to "consolidate recently introduced positive developments, such as facilitating voting for Lebanese citizens from abroad."

Valenciano also said: “I wish to thank to all the Lebanese people who have given me such a warm welcome, both during the election observation mission and on my visits since then. I am with them in their best hopes for their country.”