Lebanese elections marred by hundreds of rule breaks, observer warns

Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections says offences range from lack of pens to threats against voters

An electoral worker sits next to ballot boxes, at the Justice Palace, in Jdeideh. Reuters

A soldier stands guard as ballots are counted at the Justice Palace. Reuters

Jad Ghosn, an opposition candidate, gestures as people wait for the announcement of official election results, in Jdeideh. Reuters

Lebanese Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi announces the final results for some districts. EPA

Opposition candidate Yassin Yassin gestures as he is greeted by supporters in Jeb Jennin, West Bekaa. Reuters

Supporters of the Lebanese Forces take to the streets during parliamentary elections in the Ashrafieh district of Beirut. Bloomberg

Lebanon headed to the polls with its economy in the grip of hyperinflation. Bloomberg

Lebanese youths supporting Hezbollah and Amal movement wave their party flags after parliamentary elections in a suburb of Beirut. EPA

Supporters of Lebanon's Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal lift their flags during a motorbike rally after voting. AFP

Children swim in an inflatable pool that supporters of former prime minister Saad Hariri installed to illustrate their intention to boycott parliamentary elections in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo

Voters queue to place their vote in parliamentary elections in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

Nabih Berri, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, stands in a polling booth to vote in Tebnin. Reuters

Voters register at a polling station in Beirut. Bloomberg

Lebanese President Michel Aoun follows the parliamentary elections on screens from the Presidential Palace in Beirut. AP

A Lebanese woman shows her inked finger after she cast her vote at a polling station in Beirut. AP

Voters look at a list of candidates at a polling station in Beirut. Bloomberg

Lebanese policemen help a voter into a polling station in Beirut. AP

A Lebanese voter casts her ballot paper in Beirut. EPA

Gyorgy Holvenyi (R), chief observer of the European Union election observation mission, visits a polling station in Beirut. EPA

Lebanese people wait to vote during parliamentary elections in the capital city. EPA

Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, Grand Mufti of Lebanon, casts his ballot paper during parliamentary elections in Beirut. EPA

People queue to cast their votes in the Lebanese capital. AP

Posters in Al Tariq Al Jadida, Beirut, depict Lebanon’s former prime minister Saad Hariri. Reuters

A woman prepares her ballot at a polling station in a southern suburb of Beirut. AFP

Former prime minister Hassan Diab, who succeeded Saad Hariri, casts his ballot in Beirut. AFP

A voter checks lists for the parliamentary election at a polling station in the Lebanese capital Beirut. AFP

A woman waits to vote in Beirut. EPA

Security forces stand guard at Nur Square on the southern entrance of the northern Lebanese port city Tripoli. AFP

Former Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora casts his vote at a polling station during the parliamentary election, in Sidon, southern Lebanon. Reuters

A man check voters' lists in the capital Beirut. AP

A woman votes in Lebanon's parliamentary elections in Beirut. AP

Police check the ID of voters outside a polling station near the Lebanese coastal city of Byblos (Jbeil), north of Beirut. AFP

A voter dips her finger in ink after casting her ballot in the parliamentary election at a polling station near Byblos. AFP

A Lebanese woman shows her ink-marked thumb after voting in Shmustar, Bekaa valley. EPA

People queueing to vote at Ras El Nabeh Public School for Girls. Fatima Al Mahmoud/ The National

Read the latest news on the Lebanese elections 2022 here

Lebanese election observers have documented hundreds of voting offences across Lebanon within hours of polls opening.

The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) reported rule breaches of varying severity on Sunday. These include a shortage of pens and the photographing of ballot slips at some voting booths, to threats and harassment against voters, electoral candidates and observers by established political parties.

In addition, Lebanon’s Electoral Supervisory Commission says it has documented hundreds of violations of the electoral silence imposed during the voting period.

In a statement, the commission requested “all media outlets, candidates and political bodies adhere immediately to electoral silence, in accordance with the provisions stipulated in the election law."

It is forbidden to campaign or to try to sway the vote while the polls are open, or to report on or discuss how people voted. Reporting or discussing the process of voting, however, is allowed.

Despite the imposition of an electoral silence, many political leaders have continued to address voters through the media.

LADE accused President Michel Aoun of doing so after he cast his own vote in the Beirut municipality of Harek Hreik. He gave a brief televised speech urging people to head to the polls.

“Citizens cannot be neutral in a cause as fundamental as choosing their system of governance,” he said.

His adviser and ex-Justice Minister, Salim Jreissati, defended the president and said his comments were not a violation.

“Whoever says the President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, has violated the electoral silence may have missed the election law,” he said.

He added that "ignorance is a mitigating excuse".

“The country's president can, at any time, address a speech to the Lebanese people to urge them to vote in numbers and with the aim of [ensuring] good representation,” Mr Jreissati said.

Mr Aoun founded the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian political party that is now headed by his son-in-law, MP Gebran Bassil.

While the president was voting in south Beirut’s Harek Hreik, LADE reported that a 'We are the Change' party delegate was beaten and detained by the Presidential Guard.

Party candidate Michel Chamoun identified the man as Charbel Thoume. He said Mr Thoume had tried to get between an angry voter who had shouted at the president and the Presidential Guards. Insulting the president is a criminal offence in Lebanon.

Videos circulated on social media showed security forces dragging an unconscious-looking man, who appeared to be Mr Thoume, into a black car.

“They hit him violently,” said Mr Chamoun. “They broke him. We haven’t heard anything about him since — where he is or why he was detained.”

In southern Lebanon and Baalbek, which have been typically dominated by Shiite political parties Hezbollah and Amal, LADE said its election observers had pulled out of polling stations due to threats from the political parties.

In a statement, LADE appealed to the Interior Ministry and Lebanon’s security forces to “facilitate the work of observers and guarantee their safety.”

In the southern mixed Christian and Shiite Muslim town of Kfarhouna, supporters of rival confessional parties clashed at a polling station.

Two supporters of the Lebanese Forces were injured following a violent dispute with supporters of Amal and Hezbollah.

Videos circulating on social media showed men wearing green hats ― the colour associated with the Amal Movement — tearing down LF flags and beating supporters of the party with plastic chairs and metal bats.