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,^[5] 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.^[6][7] Saad Hariri ended up resigning on 29 October 2019.^[8]

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.^[9] The Lebanese pound lost 70% of its value in six months^[10] and 35% of the active population was unemployed.^[11] Riots broke out in Beirut, Tripoli and Jounieh.^[11]

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.^[12][13][14] 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^[15] and damage estimated at over $10 billion and estimated to have left 300,000 homeless.^[16] 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.

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. The distribution of votes is proportional.^[17] Once all the ballot papers have been counted, the total of valid votes in each constituency is divided by the number of seats to be filled, which gives the electoral threshold necessary for a list to obtain a seat.^[18] The distribution of seats is done between the lists having reached this quorum proportionally according to the percentage of votes obtained, then within the lists in accordance with the denominational quotas and the number of preferential votes obtained by the candidates.^[18]

Registered voters

Preliminary lists of the numbers of voters (15-12-2021):

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.^[27] The Kataeb Party also withdrew in Bekaa II electoral district.^[28]

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.^[31] 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.^[32]

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.^[33][34]

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.^[35]

Kataeb Party

Candidates were announced on the 20 February 2022 under the campaign slogan Ma minsawim (ما منساوم).^[36] 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.^[37] Samy Gemayel emphasized:

We, as the Kataeb party, have alone faced surrender to Hezbollah’s will, isolating Lebanon from its surroundings, electing Michel Aoun as president, the electoral law that gave the majority to Hezbollah, and quotas and fictitious budgets such as taxes, power ships and seaports.

On 2 April Nadim Gemayel, cousin of Samy, promoted his candidacy in a speech during a small event.^[38]

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).^[35]

Shamalouna

Shamalouna is a newly established coalition formed by independent groups from the North III electoral district (Bcharre-Zghorta-Batroun-Koura). Currently, the coalition consists of: Osos (Foundations), Koura Independent Community, Al Fekr El Horr (Free Thought), and Al Mashrou’ Al Badeel (The Alternative Project).The coalition took a pioneering unique step to choose its candidates; a round of primary elections through which voters selected their candidates. The primary elections were open to all change groups with no affiliation to mainstream political parties.

Shamaluna secured the Maronite seat in North III district with Michel Chawki Douaihy with 1,786 votes who is affiliated with the Osos foundation.^[35]

Taqaddom

Taqaddom, which is Arabic for "progress", is a social democratic movement that plans to advocate for social justice and sustainable development. The movement is allied with the Kataeb Party and Michel Moawad, both known for their anti-Hezbollah sentiment.^[39] The party presented 2 candidates and managed to win both seats in the Mount Lebanon IV electoral district.^[40]

Mada Network and the Secular Clubs

The Mada Network, a youth organization including secular clubs from various regions, universities, and syndicates, took part in the elections in a decentralized manner in three campaigns: Beirut Tuqawem (Beirut Resists), Al Janoub Youwajeh (The South Confronts), and Jil Al Taghyeer (The Generation of Change), further supporting 5 candidates: Ibrahim Mneimneh, Nuhad Yazbik Dumit and Samah Halwany in Beirut, Ali Khalife in the Tyre-Zahrani district and Verena El Amil in the Matn district.^[41] Among these candidates, Ibrahim Mneimneh won the Sunni seat in Beirut II. While the network primarily constitutes youth, it is known to have a clear political and economic orientation, positioning itself as anti-Hezbollah and left-leaning.^[41]

Independence Movement

The Independence Movement allied with the Kataeb Party and other Anti-Hezbollah independents to form a list called 'Shamal Al Mouwajaha' to bring down Gebran Bassil's presence in the North III electoral districts.^[42] The list managed to win 2 seats with the likes of Michel Mouawad and ally Adib Abdelmassih.^[43]

MMFD and Qadreen lists

In the 2022 Lebanese General elections, Citizens in a State (MMFD) hosted candidates in every electoral district in Lebanon in lists called "Qadreen" (Capable) led by Charbel Nahas of Beirut I.^[44] The coalition presented around 60 candidates with some allying with the LCP and other independents of the 17 October revolution.^[45][46]

MMFD was unable to secure any seats but was close with candidate and journalist Jad Ghosn but was defeated by Razi El Hajj by a difference of only 88 votes.^[47][35]

Popular Bloc

Myriam Skaff, member of a prominent family in the city of Zahle and candidate of the Greek catholic seat, leads a 6-member list in the electoral of Beqaa I but failed to win any seats. In total the list managed to receive 11,501 votes which was 938 more than the last elections.^[48][49]

Rifi Bloc

Ashraf Rifi, former Hariri ally, Internal Security Forces chief and Justice Minister, broke ranks with Hariri in 2016.^[50] In the 2016 Tripoli municipal election, he defeated Hariri's candidates and won 22 out of 24 seats.^[51] He fielded his own lists in the parliamentary election, in a move to challenge Hariri's dominance over Sunni politics. Ahead of the elections he profiled himself as a "hawk", unwilling to enter into talks with Hezbollah.^[50]

Rifi fielded lists in one electoral district; in North II, while allying with the Lebanese Forces.^[52][53] Ashraf Rifi hopes to lead the Sunni sect of North II amid Hariri's boycott and Mikati's withdrawal. Rifi's list in alliance with the Lebanese Forces secured 3 seats in North II district with Ashraf Rifi getting a Sunni seat with 11,594 votes, Elias Fouad Khoury getting the Maronite seat with 3,426 votes, and Jamil Abboud getting the Greek Orthodox seat with 79 votes.^[35]

Lebanese Forces

The Lebanese Forces presented 23 direct members along with many other allies in every electoral district, with the exception of Beirut II and South III, during the elections with a large anti-Hezbollah sentiment. The Lebanese Forces saw many withdrawal of candidates specifically in Shia dominated areas which was blamed at Hezbollah and the Amal Movement for placing pressure on Shia March 14 candidates.^[27] Lebanese Forces secured 19 seats including 1 from Rifi's Bloc and Chamoun.^[35]

After securing the most seats in parliament, Samir Geagea also emphasized his pledge not to vote for 30-year incumbent speaker Nabih Berri, citing corruption in the Bloc.^[54][55]

National Liberal Party

Camille Dory Chamoun announced his candidacy along with 3 others in the districts of Keserwan, Matn, Baabda and Chouf, in alliance with Lebanese Forces Party and the PSP. On April 9, Chamoun participated in launching the list in Abadieh.^[56] On May 1, during the opening of its commission headquarters in Keserwan district headed by Chamoun, the party presented its electoral points, which included: sovereignty, positive impartiality, independence of the judiciary, expanded administrative decentralization, restoring confidence in the banking sector, and the return of refugees and displaced persons.^[57]

The National Liberal Party was able to secure a single seat through Camille Chamoun in Baabda with 1,876 votes.^[58]

Results by alliance and parties

More information Party, Candidates ...

Party		Candidates	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Hezbollah and allies		83	704,637	38.98	-0.60	41	4
	Hezbollah	13	335,466	18.56	+2.12	13	1
	Pro-Hezbollah Independents[lower-roman 1]	7	24,111	1.33	+0.78	2	2
	Amal Movement	11	169,182	9.36	-0.05	11	1
	Pro-Amal Independents[lower-roman 2]	7	20,979	1.16	-1.38	4	3
	March 8 Affiliates[lower-roman 3]	6	32,913	1.82	-0.48	2	1
	Marada Movement	6	21,672	1.20	-0.31	1	2
	Pro-Marada Independents[lower-roman 4]	2	3,582	0.20	-0.11	1	1
	Al-Ahbash	4	23,139	1.28	+0.21	2	1
	Dignity Movement	2	7,515	0.42	-0.01	1	0
	Pro-Dignity Movement Independents[lower-roman 5]	4	9,642	0.53	-0.33	1	0
	El Khazen Bloc	6	13,654	0.75	+0.18	1	1
	Union Party	1	9,157	0.51	-0.35	1	0
	Murr Bloc	6	9,106	0.50	-0.23	1	0
	Syrian Social Nationalist Party[lower-roman 6]	6	11,621	0.64	-0.69	0	3
	Arab Unification Party	1	10,228	0.57	+0.14	0	0
	Lebanese Arab Struggle Movement	1	2,670	0.15	+0.03	0	0
Free Patriotic Movement and allies		53	170,050	9.40	-6.09	20	9
	Free Patriotic Movement	21	121,684	6.73	-1.42	16	2
	Pro-FPM Independents[lower-roman 7]	23	22,962	1.27	-4.05	1	5
	Armenian Revolutionary Federation	5	12,499	0.69	-0.09	3	0
	Lebanese Democratic Party	4	12,905	0.71	-0.04	0	1
Lebanese Forces and allies		64	235,343	13.02	+3.41	20	5
	Lebanese Forces	18	148,867	8.23	+0.91	14	2
	Pro-LF Independents[lower-roman 8]	33	56,490	3.13	+0.84	4	1
	Rifi Bloc	9	25,019	1.38	+0.57	1	1
	National Liberal Party	4	4,967	0.28	+0.05	1	1
Ex-Future Movement and allies		30	96,616	5.34	-9.24	7	13
	Ex-Future Movement	8	36,787	2.03	-8.19	2	11
	Pro-FM Independents[lower-roman 9]	8	29,884	1.65	-2.71	4	3
	Siniora candidates[lower-roman 10]	14	29,945	1.66	New	1	New
Kataeb Party and allies		18	48,263	2.67	New	6	New
	Kataeb Party	5	24,602	1.36	-0.46	4	1
	Pro-Kataeb Independents	5	9,002	0.50	New	0	New
	Independence Movement	2	11,296	0.62	+0.13	1	0
	Pro-Independence Movement[lower-roman 11]	6	3,363	0.19	New	1	New
October 17		205	237,354	13.13	+10.60	12	11
	Taqaddom	2	20,988	1.16	New	2	New
	Lebanese Communist Party and allies[lower-roman 12]	10	19,316	1.07	+0.46	1	1
	Mada[lower-roman 13]	5	18,238	1.01	New	1	New
	Watani	10	10,574	0.58	New	1	New
	Khatt Ahmar	2	6,979	0.39	New	1	New
	Lana	1	6,684	0.37	New	1	New
	Osos Lebanon	2	3,469	0.19	New	1	New
	ReLebanon	3	1,064	0.06	New	1	New
	Citizens in a State	56	25,529	1.41	+1.09	0	0
	National Bloc	5	11,016	0.61	New	0	New
	Beirut Madinati	13	6,564	0.36	New	0	New
	Popular Observatory	2	4,895	0.27	+0.20	0	0
	Aamieh 17 October	2	4,012	0.22	New	0	New
	Sabaa Party	4	2,019	0.11	-0.58	0	1
	Lihaqqi	1	928	0.05	-0.14	0	0
	Thuwar Beirut	1	485	0.03	New	0	New
	October 17 Independents[lower-roman 14]	86	94,594	5.23	New	3	New
Others		266	315,105	17.43	-0.78	22	4
	Progressive Socialist Party and allies[lower-roman 15]	10	75,485	4.18	-0.42	8	1
	Frem Bloc[lower-roman 16]	7	19,582	1.08	New	2	New
	Al-Jama'a Al-Islamiyya	5	22,249	1.23	+0.41	1	1
	National Dialogue Party Bloc	11	17,780	0.98	+0.13	1	0
	Azm Movement Bloc	10	15,355	0.85	-1.40	1	3
	Daher Bloc	6	14,648	0.81	New	1	New
	Popular Nasserist Organization	1	7,341	0.41	-0.15	1	0
	Popular Bloc	6	11,501	0.64	+0.04	0	0
	Sawa/Movement supported candidates	6	7,118	0.39	New	0	New
	Bahaa Hariri Bloc	9	2,259	0.12	New	0	New
	YES! Lebanon Group	2	1,641	0.09	New	0	New
	Hunchak	1	1,068	0.06	-0.03	0	0
	Independents[lower-roman 17]	192	119,078	6.59	+1.88	7	7
Totals		719	1,807,818	100.0	–	128
Blank votes			19,308
Votes with no preferences			66,857
Total Votes			1,893,983
Votes canceled			57,700
Total Registered who voted/turnout			1,951,683	49.19	-0.51
Registered voters			3,967,507	100
Source:[49]

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Results by lists

Results by constituency

• 2022 Lebanese general election in Beirut I