EU calls for reform of Lebanon's election finance framework

Monitoring mission finds recent votes 'overshadowed by widespread vote buying '

A Lebanese Forces supporter distributes election material outside a polling station during parliamentary elections in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday, May 15, 2022. Lebanon heads to the polls with its economy in the grip of hyperinflation, with the currency in freefall after the government defaulted on over $30 billion in international debt. Photographer: Francesca Volpi / BloombergShow less

An EU monitoring mission has called for a reform of Lebanon's electoral finance framework, after a report found that May's parliamentary elections "were overshadowed by widespread practices of vote buying and clientelism".

In its final report, the EU's Election Observation Mission said "the legal framework for campaign finance suffers from serious shortcomings concerning transparency and accountability". The devastating economic situation in Lebanon had only made the practice of vote buying more prolific, the report said.

"Numerous cases of vote buying and clientelism have been reported. Distributing 'bread bags', food parcels and medical supplies as well as generators, solar power and fuel were among the practices used by certain political parties and candidates, often in their offices, to unduly influence the voters.

"Instances of intimidation, including of female candidates, destruction of campaign material and the obstruction of campaign activities have also been observed and reported from several districts."

At a press conference where the results were released, Gyorgy Holvenyi, a member of the European Parliament, noted that the 2022 electoral framework remained almost unchanged compared to the last time Lebanon went to the polls in 2018 — with none of the 25 recommendations issued by the previous EU EOM acted upon.

"The monitoring of campaign finance is limited to the electoral campaign bank account that the candidates and lists have to open when registering, with total bank secrecy on other personal accounts of the candidates or of their close relatives," the report said.

"This allows candidates to avoid using their electoral bank account, and potentially channel illicit sums of money through totally opaque bank accounts, to which neither the SCE nor other institutions have access," it said, referring to Lebanon's heavily underfunded Supervisory Commission for Elections.

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

The EU mission said the SCE should be given the mandate to audit the personal accounts of candidates and their families. It noted that while there are supposed spending limits on campaigning, the SCE "had no resources to assess the reliability of the financial information provided by candidates and the respect of these ceilings".

It recommended that the SCE be established as a fully independent body, separate from the Ministry of Interior. EU observers reported a highly-monetised campaign, "where a culture of in-kind and financial handouts for electoral purposes by institutions owned or managed by candidates or parties, prevailed".

"These practices are due to a legal provision according to which the distribution of services and payments during the campaign period are not subject to the spending ceilings and do not fall under the control of the SCE if the same have been provided for three years prior to the elections. The candidates are not obliged to report these to the SCE, which thus has no control over such practices," the mission said.

The EOM called for strict regulation of the goods, payments and services given by institutions owned or managed by candidates and parties.

In the elections in May, Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies lost a parliamentary majority, paving the way for a greater political stalemate and delays in passing the much-needed economic reforms that Lebanon needs.