The 2022 Lebanese parliamentary elections have officially begun. The Lebanese citizens have been heading by masses to the polling stations from all over the country to make their votes count.
However, despite all the preparations and the election security plan by the Ministry of Defense, the scenes at various polling stations are mostly chaotic, with incidents and violations occurring, and also clashes, intimidation, violations of the voting secrecy, and some cases of assaults on candidates.
Here is an overview of polling stations across Lebanon in videos and images:
Clashes in Beirut:
Army forces were deployed overnight to maintain the security of the electoral process and ensure the integrity of its conduct. However, clashes and violations have been many.
Clashes between Hezbollah and Lebanese Forces in Zahle, Bekaa.
Aftermath of conflict in Kfarhouma, Jezzine between opposing political parties:
In Beirut II, feverish and unlawful chants by Hezbollah supporters at a polling station, intimidating the voters; cases of people fainting were reported:
President Aoun voting in Haret Hreik:
The outcome of a man speaking against President Aoun at a polling stations:
Hezbollah supporters in Bint Jbeil, South Lebanon:
Saad Hariri supporters are boycotting the polls with a pool party celebration in the open, claiming change is impossible given the circumstances:
Hezbollah and Amal partisans attacked Baabda candidate Wassef Haraka at the polling station in Burj El Brajneh, accusing him of “Zionist, Zionist” for opposing their parties:
Heartwarming scenes of the Lebanese army helping those in need of assistance during the voting process:
Many violations of the secrecy of the ballot in a number of polling stations have been observed with party delegates escorting voters behind the isolator and interfering with their votes:
According to MTV Lebanon, delegates from the “Building the State” list, which includes Lebanese Forces candidate Antoine Habchi, were expelled from polling stations in Riha and Kanisa, in Bekaa:
A security officer was caught interfering with the voting of a citizen inside the polling station in Mazraet Sajed, in Hermel:
An attack was committed on the delegates of the Lebanese Forces in Mazraat Al Siyad, Jbeil. The Lebanese army was forced to intervene and expel the aggressors:
A confrontation between the army and the Amal electoral machine at a polling station in Kfarsir, South Lebanon: