Waging Peace:  Lebanon

Monitoring Elections

After years of Syrian involvement in Lebanon, the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, coupled by growing international pressure, sparked a strong grassroots movement that pressured Syria to withdraw its presence from Lebanon in 2005. A series of demonstrations, or the so-called Cedar Revolution, marked a new era of Lebanese independence and showed the power of individuals to promote political change through peaceful demonstration. The promise of political liberalization, namely the organization of parliamentary elections, and an international commission to investigate the death of former Prime Minister Hariri arose from the protesters' demands.

Despite the withdrawal of Syrian troops, Lebanon's recent history has been marked by civil strife and political instability. The country has experienced continued turmoil as a result of the 2006 war with Israel, the long siege of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, and infighting between Lebanon's two main political forces, the March 8 and March 14 Alliances.  Friction between the two political camps resulted in a political crisis and governing impasse, including the resignation of several opposition members from the Cabinet of Ministers, the closure of Parliament, the encampment of March 8 forces in central Beirut, and a protracted dispute regarding the election of a new president by the Parliament. This situation came to a head during the events of May 2008, when militia clashes resulted in the death of more than 60 people. Faced with growing civil strife, key leaders convened to negotiate an end to the country's political deadlock. The Doha Agreement, signed on May 21, 2008, laid the ground for the reconvening of Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers, the election of President Michel Slieman, the consideration of several electoral reforms, and an agreement to hold parliamentary elections in 2009.

With the aim of supporting efforts to hold a genuine and peaceful election in Lebanon, The Carter Center observed the June 7, 2009, parliamentary elections. Key political leaders, political parties, and civil society organizations welcomed the Center's mission to Lebanon, and the Center was accredited by the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities.

The Carter Center opened an office in Beirut in late January 2009 and launched its election observation mission in March with the deployment of several long-term election observers. Long-term observers monitored the administration of the elections, the campaign period, voting and counting procedures, electoral complaints and appeals mechanisms, and other issues related to the overall electoral process in Lebanon.

A delegation of 60 short-term observers from 23 countries, co-led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Prime Minister of Yemen Abdul Kareem al-Eryani, was deployed over the immediate period surrounding election day, June 7. In its June 8 preliminary statement, the Center commended the Lebanese people and the electoral authorities for the successful conduct of the 2009 parliamentary elections, the results of which had already been accepted by both the governing and opposition coalitions. While the process fell short of several of Lebanon's international commitments, most notably the need to fully protect the secrecy of the ballot, it was conducted with enhanced transparency and in accordance with Lebanon's new consensual electoral law and regulations.

Blog from the 2009 Lebanon Parliamentary Elections, June 3-10, 2009 >