Via the BBC: Ex-leader makes Lebanon comeback

Early results in Lebanon’s key third round of elections indicate a strong showing for the firebrand Christian leader and ex-army chief Michel Aoun.

Mr Aoun, a long-term critic of Syria, demanded the issue of Syrian influence in Lebanon be put aside and allied himself with pro-Syria candidates.

[...]

The latest poll will decide almost half of the seats in the new parliament – 58 out of a total of 128. Turnout was around 50% – higher than in past polls.

I must confess, theirs is one odd system. Setting aside process, it does seem as if the new parliament is going to be a fairly explosive place, as Hizbollah also won a signficant number of seats.

Oh, and by the way, there is still one more round of elections in Lebanon, which will take place next Sunday.

5 Responses to “The Endless Lebanese Elections”

1. Buckland Says:
   June 13th, 2024 at 11:19 am

   Lebanon is a hard case. Those of us who push freedom and democracy for most every ill are left with egg on our face on a regular basis when discussing Lebanon.

   Aoun is one of the thugs (note: “one of the”, not “the”) that pushed Lebanon into the bloody civil war that precipitated a call from Arab states and acquiescence other players for Syrian invasion. His long time sparring partner, Walid Jumblatt was another. Now these bloody would-be dictators get another turn at building the country they tried so hard to destroy.

   So now the country is divided between Christians (the people with the money), Druze (the people with the best militias), and Hezbollah (the people with the most willing martyrs). Sounds like fun.

   Steven, a suggestion for this week’s Friday Fun Meme — Give your list of conditions to strangle democracy and return a people to civil war. My entry is now in.

2. Dr. Steven Taylor Says:
   June 13th, 2024 at 11:26 am

   Saddly, it is fun that never stops, it would seem.

3. Matthew Shugart Says:
   June 13th, 2024 at 1:59 pm

   First of all, I was wrong in an earlier comment. This window does not restrict to five lines. It is four. I regret the error.

   Steven (or anyone else), can you point me to any really detailed description of how these elections work? I’ve been rather mystified by the partial descriptions I have seen. But the upshot seems to be that the outcome is largely fixed ahead of time–in two senses. One, there is a literally fixed share of seats for each of the recoognized “confessions.” And second, the various parties strike pre-election deals that tend to leave very few seats really competitive on election day. Or rather election days.

   That last part is odd, too. This is a rolling process over several days and weeks.

   Small point. I wish reporting on the Lebanese elections would stop speaking of multiple “rounds” of voting. To me rounds means separate stages leading to the final outcome in a given seat or set of seats (i.e. French elections). That is not what is happening here. These are simply regions voting (once each) on seaprate dates. Maybe “phases” would be better?

4. Dr. Steven Taylor Says:
   June 13th, 2024 at 6:57 pm

   I haven’t gotten around to fixing that problem, but need to attend to it (the comment window).

   And good point about “rounds”.

5. nice Says:
   September 2nd, 2024 at 10:08 am

   Veri nice site!