General elections were held in Lebanon on 15 May 2022 (one week earlier for overseas voters and one day earlier for ballot workers) to elect all 128 members of the Lebanese Parliament. The country has for several years been the subject of chronic political instability as well as a serious economic crisis aggravated by the 2020 explosions that hit the Port of Beirut and faced large-scale demonstrations against the political class.
Hezbollah and their allies lost their parliamentary majority but still won the Parliament speaker election. The Lebanese Christian-based Lebanese Forces led by Samir Geagea made gains and won 19 seats as well as independent candidates promising reforms.
Background 2019–21 protests
Large-scale antigovernmental demonstrations ignited in the country from 17 October. Initially triggered in response to a rise in gas and tobacco prices as well as a new tax on messaging applications, the demonstrations quickly turned into a revolution against the stagnation of the economy, unemployment, Lebanon's sectarian and hereditary political system, corruption and the government's inability to provide essential services such as water, electricity and sanitation, involving hundreds of thousands of people from every region and sect of the country. Saad Hariri ended up resigning on 29 October 2019.
Hassan Diab was appointed prime minister by President Michel Aoun on 19 December 2019. His government obtained the confidence of parliament by 69 votes in its favour.
The country's economic situation continued to deteriorate and the government was indebted over 95 billion dollars by the end of 2020. The Lebanese pound lost 70% of its value in six months and 35% of the active population was unemployed. Riots broke out in Beirut, Tripoli and Jounieh.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lebanon could have been considered a success story. Despite the devastating economic impact of lockdowns, including a significant Lebanese lira devaluation in spring 2020, Lebanon was largely unscathed by COVID-19 until early 2021, when the healthcare system collapsed under a deluge of cases. This only further accelerated the already devastating economic crisis.
Beirut explosion
On 4 August 2020, the explosion of several thousand tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a hangar in the Port of Beirut caused considerable human and material damage across the city and the port. The final toll was over 235 dead and over 7,000 injured and damage estimated at over $10 billion and estimated to have left 300,000 homeless. The industrial-port zone of the Port of Beirut's badly affected, further aggravating the economic situation. Vital for Lebanon, the port is the most important trading centres in Lebanon which ensures the transit of 60% of the country's imports.
Electorate
Electoral system In accordance with the Lebanese practice of political confessionalism, the Lebanese religious communities distribute reserved seats in the different constituencies according to their demographic weight.Lebanon passing parliamentary law is a step in right direction Gulf News, 16 June 2017 The total votes in each constituency is divided by the number of seats to be filled, providing the electoral threshold necessary for a list to obtain a seat.Electoral system Inter-Parliamentary Union Seats are first distributed between the lists having reached this threshold, then within the lists in accordance with the denominational quotas and the number of preferential votes obtained by the candidates.
Electoral district under 2017 Election LawBeirut I (East Beirut)8 11131 1Beirut II (West Beirut)11621 1 1Bekaa I (Zahle)711 1121 Bekaa II (West Bekaa-Rachaya)6211 11 Bekaa III (Baalbek-Hermel)1026 1 1 Mount Lebanon I (Byblos-Kesrwan)8 1 7 Mount Lebanon II (Metn)8 4211 Mount Lebanon III (Baabda)6 21 3 Mount Lebanon IV (Aley-Chouf)132 4 511 North I (Akkar)73 112 North II (Tripoli-Minnieh-Dennieh)118 111 North III (Bcharre-Zghorta-Batroun-Koura)10 73 South I (Saida-Jezzine)52 2 1 South II (Zahrany-Tyre)7 6 1 South III (Marjaayoun-Nabatieh-Hasbaya-Bint Jbeil)11181 1 Total128272782341485111Source: 961News
Registered voters Preliminary lists of the numbers of voters (15–12–2021): +DistrictResident registersNon-resident registersTotalAkkar300,6688,415309,083Aley123,7539,955133,708Baabda158,75513,271172,026Baalbek-Hermel333,4397,854341,293Batroun56,1406,41662,556Beirut I125,2189,668134,886Beirut II344,56126,459371,020Bint Jbeil155,3546,909162,263Bsharre44,8266,04850,874Chouf197,36315,490212,853Dinnieh71,6573,02674,683Jbeil80,2215,75285,973Jezzine57,1754,89862,073Keserwan89,3787,17396,551Koura56,8696,02662,895Marjaayoun-Hasbaya167,0858,584175,669Metn169,95013,612183,662Minnieh46,7371,34348,080Nabatieh153,2716,418159,689Sidon (City)63,8093,43567,244Tripoli243,90310,868254,771Tyre193,90711,487205,394West Bekaa-Rachaya146,7767,152153,928Zahle174,1579,566183,723Zahrani116,1287,097123,225Zgharta73,8598,19282,051Total3,744,959225,1143,970,073Source: Ministry of Interior and Municipalitieshttps://elections.gov.lb/getattachment
Lebanese living abroad
Lebanese living abroad are allowed to participate in legislative elections. Although the Lebanese diaspora is estimated to be as high as 14 million individuals, most of them no longer possess nationality several decades after the waves of emigration that affected the country. Only 225,114 of diaspora had thus registered for the 2022 elections, which is still a significant increase from the 82,000 that registered last election. Although a section of the 2017 electoral law provides for the allocation of six seats apart for the diaspora, their vote is still counted in their constituencies. Lebanese living in the Arab world outside of Lebanon voted on 6 May, meanwhile Lebanese living in the UAE and the rest of the world voted on 8 May. Lebanese people living in 48 countries were reported to have cast their votes.
+ Voter turnout for Lebanese living abroadElectoral DistrictDistrictVotesRegisteredTotal votesTotal Registered% ParticipationBeirut 1East Beirut6,3209,6476,3209,64765.51%Beirut 2West Beirut16,34626,39216,34626,39261.94%Bekaa 1Zahle6,119 9,610 6,1199,610 63.67%Bekaa 2Rachaya – West Bekaa4,5897,1494,5897,149 64.19%Bekaa 3Baalbek – Hermel4,653 7,8174,6537,81759.52%Mount Lebanon 1Keserouane5,132 7,161 9,13612,91370.75%Byblos/Jbeil4,004 5,752 Mount Lebanon 2Metn9,812 13,5819,81213,58172.95%Mount Lebanon 3Baabda8,72113,2518,72113,25165.81%Mount Lebanon 4Aley6,5579,97117,06625,52867.50%Chouf10,50915,557North 1Akkar4,781 8,4464,7818,44656.61%North 2Minieh 697 1,345 8,91715,26058.43%Tripoli6,465 10,875 Denieh1,755 3,040North 3Zgharta5,198 8,20317,44726,69265.36%Bcharre3,719 6,039Koura4,057 6,026Batroun4,473 6,424South 1Saida2,1403,4435,3568,34464.18%Jezzine3,2164,901South 2Tyre6,93011,54310,77818,67553.95%Zahrani3,848 7,132South 3Hasbaya – Marjayoun4,556 8,59212,00021,97254.61%Bint Jbail3,750 6,954 Nabateye3,694 6,426TotalLebanon142,041225,277142,041225,27763.00%
Registered voters per country
RankCountryRegistered voters (2018) Registered voters (2022) Europe 24,757 70,432 1 France8,61728,1422 Germany8,355 16,171 2 United Kingdom1,824 6,535 3 Sweden1,910 4,023 4 Belgium1,053 3,092 5 Switzerland889 2,601 6 Italy729 2,128 7 Spain376 1,226 8 Netherlands228 965 9 Cyprus840 10 Denmark250 706 11 Romania270 696 12 Greece256 528 13 Ukraine 341 14 Russia323 15 Austria282 16 Ireland233 17 Hungary221 18 Poland215 19 Luxembourg200 20 Belarus172 21 Norway 162 22 Czech Republic 153 23 Portugal 148 24 Rest of Europe 329 Asia 12,669 56,8741 UAE 5,166 25,066 2 Saudi Arabia 3,186 13,105 3 Qatar 1,832 7,344 4 Kuwait 1,878 5,760 5 Syria 1,018 6 Turkey 999 7 Oman 296 903 8 Iran 642 9 Bahrain 638 10 Jordan 483 11 Iraq 327 12 Armenia 311 192 13Rest of Asia 397 North America 21,793 56,680 1 USA 9,999 27,982 2 Canada 11,443 27,447 3 Mexico 351 1,242 4 Rest of North America 9 Oceania 11,825 20,808 1 Australia 11,825 20,661 2 New Zealand 147 Africa 6,671 18,869 1 Ivory Coast 2,345 6,070 2 Nigeria 1,263 2,580 3 Congos 341 1,428 4 Ghana 375 1,012 5 Gabon 251 848 6 Sierra Leone 260 724 7 Senegal 400 707 8 Egypt 257 709 9 Benin 217 518 10 Togo 458 11 Zambia 409 12 South Africa 312 406 13 Liberia 211 376 14 Guinea 439 532 15 Angola 332 16 Mali 317 17 Burkina Faso 293 18 Morocco 248 19 Cameroon 228 20 Equatorial Guinea 178 21 Gambia 166 22 Rest of Africa330 South America 5,250 4,693 1 Brazil 2,112 2,861 2 Venezuela 1,497 991 3 Paraguay 924 67 4 Argentina 392 118 5 Colombia 325 273 6 Ecuador 219 7 Rest of South America 164 Total 82,965 228,356
Candidates
After the deadline on 15 March 2022, the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities announced a record number 1043 candidates, which include 155 women, had been registered. On April 3, the ministry announced 103 lists running in 15 electoral districts.
Withdrawals The Lebanese Forces saw many withdrawals of candidates specifically in Shia dominated areas such as Baalbek-Hermel which was blamed at Hezbollah and the Amal Movement for placing pressure on Shia March 14 candidates. The Kataeb Party also withdrew in Bekaa II electoral district.
Opinion polls A poll was conducted by the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation between 10 and 15 of December in 2021 of 1,200 Lebanese citizens eligible for voting. The survey found that nearly 40% of the people polled are willing to vote for an independent or 17 October Revolutionary candidate in the 2022 elections. Next comes Hezbollah and Amal with around 17 percent combined.
The study also found that 44.8% of polled Lebanese will not vote for the same party as they did in 2018. Christian parties Kataeb and the Lebanese Forces had seen a large increase in support in preference percentage compared to the figures of the last elections conducted by candidate and researcher Charbel Nahas in his book ‘Ritualism of the Sectarian Non-State'. In 2018, the Kataeb Party were only favored by 1.9% of the ones conducted compared to 2021's 4.2% and the Lebanese Forces had 7.7% compared to the 2021's 11.5%. Poll sourceDate(s) administeredSample sizeAmalFPMFutureHezbollahIndependentKataebLFPSPRevolutionSSNPOtherKonrad Adenauer Foundation10–15 December 20211,2003%6.8%6.2%14.7%25.7%4.2%11.5%2.2%12.3%1.2%12.2%2018 general election6 May 20189.41%8.15%10.22%16.44%5.34%1.82%7.32%4.60%–1.33%35.37%
Political parties and coalitions Future Movement On 24 January 2022 Saad Hariri announced that he will suspend his role in Lebanese politics and that he would not run in the 2022 general elections. He also called on the Future Movement to follow suit and not run in the upcoming parliamentary elections nor nominate anyone to run on its behalf.
After Hariri's boycott, many Sunnis in North II and Akkar chose to follow boycott as well, after which his resignation created a large vacuum in Sunni politics.
Many Ex-Future politicians headed their own blocs, such as Bahaa Hariri and Fouad Sinora, and managed to secure 8 seats of the candidates that were affiliated with the Future Movement in parliament.
Kataeb Party Candidates were announced on the 20 February 2022 under the campaign slogan Ma minsawim (ما منساوم). Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel insisted that the Kataeb party was the only one that has faced the fact of surrendering to Hezbollah's will, electing Michel Aoun as president and isolating Lebanon from its surroundings. Samy Gemayel emphasized: On 2 April Nadim Gemayel, cousin of Samy, promoted his candidacy in a speech during a small event.
Kataeb secured 4 seats for Salim Sayegh (3,477 votes), Nadim Gemayel (4,425 votes), Sami Gemayel (10,466 votes), and Elias Hankash (6,148 votes).
Shamalouna