Understanding Municipal Elections in Lebanon
In this primer, Zeina Sami El-Helou discusses the critical role of municipal elections in Lebanon as both a cornerstone of local governance and a reflection of the country's broader political dynamics. She highlights the challenges facing the upcoming 2025 elections, which will be held after multiple postponements and in a fragile post-conflict context. The primer examines the systemic issues that weaken municipalities, including financial instability, political clientelism, and administrative fragmentation, calling for electoral reforms to enhance transparency, representation, and decentralization.
Zeina Sami El-Helou
is a researcher and development consultant with more than 20 years of experience in policy research and development, including elections, social issues, political economy, and local development.
In this primer, Zeina Sami El-Helou discusses the critical role of municipal elections in Lebanon as both a cornerstone of local governance and a reflection of the country's broader political dynamics. She highlights the challenges facing the upcoming 2025 elections, which will be held after multiple postponements and in a fragile post-conflict context. The primer examines the systemic issues that weaken municipalities, including financial instability, political clientelism, and administrative fragmentation, calling for electoral reforms to enhance transparency, representation, and decentralization.