Over the weekend, two retired Lebanese judges were elected members of Lebanon’s National Anti-corruption Commission (NACC).
324 out of 583 judges participated in the election at the Justice Palace on Saturday, regarded as the first of its kind in Lebanon’s history, and elected retired judges Claude Karam and Thérèse Allawi out of a total of five nominees.
Judge Karam (former Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor) and Judge Allawi (former counsel at the Court of Cassation) are the first two members to take seats at the NACC.
Four More Remain
The law that prompted the establishment of the Commission was issued back in May 2020, as part of a group of decisions intended as an affirmation that Lebanon complies with international calls for transparency and reform.
The law stipulated that nominations for the Commission be made within 3 months after the date of the law’s approval.
Nominees are supposed to be chosen by each of the Beirut Bar Association, Tripoli Bar Association, Lebanese Association of Certified Public Accountants, Banking Control Commission of Lebanon, and the Minister of State for Administrative Development.
However, over a year has passed since the law came in force, and the names of the nominees, from which the Lebanese government is supposed to finally select 4 commission members, have still not been submitted.
It’s unclear what is behind this prolonged delay in the election process that is supposed to be one of the first big steps in Lebanon’s path toward reform, which is a major condition for unlocking international support.