Beirut, Brussels (agencies)
Yesterday, the European Union announced its intention to send a mission to monitor the Lebanese parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15th.
The Federation stated in a statement that the publication of this mission comes in response to the invitation of the Lebanese Ministry of Interior and Municipalities.
He added that the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell had appointed a member of the European Parliament from Hungary, György Holveny, as the mission’s chief observer.
In this regard, Borrell said in the statement: “The European Union has committed itself to supporting the electoral process in Lebanon and preparing for it, whether financially, technically or politically.”
He stressed that “the constructive participation of all political forces in the upcoming elections will be of fundamental importance to the country and the Lebanese people.” He expressed his belief that “this mission will contribute to conducting an inclusive and transparent electoral process and further strengthening the democratic process and reforms in Lebanon.”
For his part, Holvini said in a similar statement, “The European Union supported the Lebanese parliamentary elections by sending election observation missions in 2005, 2009 and 2018.”
He explained that “this will be the fourth time that the European Union deploys an election observation mission in Lebanon,” expressing his happiness for assuming the responsibility of leading this important mission.
The European Union Election Observation Mission in Lebanon for the current year will consist of different groups of observers. The core team of election analysts will arrive at the end of next March, and it will consist of 10 election experts covering different aspects of the electoral process.
And 30 long-term observers will join the mission in mid-April and will be deployed in the regions to follow up on the political campaign. After that, 40 short-term observers will join the mission on election day to monitor the voting and counting process.
The EU EOM will remain in Lebanon until the completion of the electoral process. Once the entire electoral process is completed, the mission will publish a final report that will include a final assessment of the electoral process and a set of recommendations for reforms to improve future elections.
On the 27th of last December, the Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, signed a decree inviting the electoral bodies to elect members of Parliament in mid-May.
The Lebanese Parliament consists of 128 members distributed over 15 electoral districts. In a related context, former Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called yesterday on the Lebanese, especially the “Sunni”, to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections by nomination and voting and not to boycott.
In a press conference, Siniora expressed his respect for the will of the former Prime Minister, Head of the Future Movement Saad Hariri, to suspend his participation and that of the Future Movement in political work.
He pointed out that “parliamentary elections under the lame-duck law will not constitute a solution. Rather, they are a station that should not be missed, as the arena must not be vacated, and the parliamentary struggle must continue against the dependence on Iran and against corruption and tampering with the constitution.”
Siniora said that “it is not possible to rebuild the state as long as Hezbollah continues to control the state, supported by its weapons, and on the other hand, it cannot be eliminated from the equation.”
He said, “We are facing a national crisis, not a sectarian or sectarian crisis, and it is not a crisis of a party or a party. Rather, it is a crisis that Lebanon is facing, and the Lebanese state has become dependent and no longer has the decision and influence.” He pointed out that “Iranian influence prevents the state from restoring its authority and sovereignty and prevents its building through its arms,” explaining that Maronite Patriarch Mar Beshara Boutros Al-Rahi also expressed the depth of the crisis and demanded the liberation of the state from the control of arms and the need to neutralize it.
Siniora pointed out that “Hariri clashed with the Iranian influence that prevents the state from resuming its role and prevents its establishment through his militia arms, and these groups seek to disrupt democratic work and are now in control of the law.”