Lebanon's diaspora fights an unequal voting law - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum. Lebanon will vote next May in important parliamentary elections, but there’s already a big issue. A law from 2017, never used in 2018 or 2022, would let Lebanese abroad vote only for a new bloc of six MPs instead of allowing them to vote for all 128 seats like before.
Many say this treats the diaspora as second-class citizens and clashes with Article 7 of the constitution that promises equal civil and political rights. “It feels so unfair and it saddens me,” said Nada Arafat, a member of the Lebanese community abroad. “We left to find work, we send money home, we visit and spend there. To be limited like this is wrong.”
More than half of MPs want to overturn Article 122, but they face the firm opposition of the long-time Speaker, Nabih Berri. With voter registration for those abroad already open, time is short.
“This law takes away basic rights of Lebanese living overseas,” said Paula Yacoubian, often seen as an independent voice in parliament since 2018. Critics say the message is: we want your money but not your say in the country’s future.
Former deputy prime minister Ghassan Hasbani argued the law is unfair on many levels, saying diaspora Lebanese should not be treated as a different class. Many people abroad left because circumstances at home were so dire, and now they are being told they can’t fully help shape the nation they still support.
The diaspora sent remittances that helped Lebanon survive crises like the 2019 economic collapse and the 2020 Beirut blast. Hasbani noted these remittances are worth around $8 billion and have been vital to the country’s survival after the crises.
There are supporters of the law too, including parties who say groups sanctioned abroad can’t campaign there as freely. MPs have repeatedly tried to add an amendment that would let the diaspora vote for all 128 seats, but the speaker has refused to put it on the agenda. Many blame him for using his power to protect political allies who benefit from the current arrangement.
Politically, the diaspora vote isn’t huge enough to swing everything, but it’s significant: about 140,000 people voted from abroad in 2022, roughly 7% of the total. Those voters tended to support reform-minded candidates rather than some traditional parties, so restricting their vote could shape parliamentary balance.
Critics say this move protects entrenched interests and reduces the influence of reformers. Supporters argue it addresses practical issues of campaigning abroad. Either way, the debate is heating up as the election approaches and many Lebanese abroad feel their loyalty and support are being taken for granted.
May Allah guide what’s best for Lebanon and its people.
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