On May 15, Lebanon will conclude its first parliamentary election since the
country’s economic collapse in 2019 and the deadly explosion at the Port o





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Hezbollah’s Influence Looms Over Upcoming Lebanese Elections

 

(New York, N.Y.) — On May 15, Lebanon will conclude its first parliamentary
election since the country’s economic collapse in 2019 and the deadly explosion
at the Port of Beirut in August 2020. United Nations Secretary-General António
Guterrescalled
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for the vote to be “free, fair, transparent and inclusive,” given the extent
of political corruption in the country. In particular,Hezbollah
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Terrorist Organization (FTO), has played a significant and influential role in
Lebanese politics and the government.

 

Guterres’s statement follows a September 2021 non-binding resolution adopted
by the European Parliamentrecognizing
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Hezbollah’s role in destabilizing Lebanon through the control of key ministries
in the government, its terrorist designation by multiple Western and Middle
East countries by several EU member states, and ideological allegiance to Iran.
Additionally, regional observers remain pessimistic that Lebanon’s new
parliamentary elections will pull the country out from its economic and social
crises.

 

Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Hezbollah expert David Daoud pointed to the
group’s influence within Lebanon as a critical factor that would undermine
chances of genuine economic and governmental reform: “Through its continued
possession of unregulated arms, Hezbollah dominates Lebanon’s decisions of war
and peace. Nonetheless, the group routinely subordinates Lebanon’s national
interests in favor of Iran’s, resulting in devastating outcomes for Lebanon. As
in previous elections, public voices and parliamentary candidates have called
this arrangement into question and demanded that Hezbollah disarm. It remains
unclear, however, if parliamentary candidates critical of Hezbollah have gained
enough popular traction to be elected in sufficient numbers, and if so, that
they will succeed in curtailing the group’s armed strength and activities.”  

 

“Hezbollah is not the singular cause of Lebanon’s dysfunction and economic
collapse. The sources of that run much deeper. But the group is both a symptom
of those maladies intrinsic to the Lebanese system as it is currently
constituted and the primary impediment to remedying them. Hezbollah feeds off
and therefore fuels Lebanon’s corruption and sectarianism. Many Lebanese are
becoming increasingly aware of this dynamic. It remains to be seen whether the
upcoming parliamentary elections, whatever their outcome, will produce positive
results concerning curtailing Hezbollah’s activities or arsenal—though, the
chances are admittedly very low. However, what is clear is that Lebanon cannot
begin to recover until the group’s grip over the country is loosened,” Daoud
continued.

 

To read CEP’s resource Hezbollah, please click here
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To read CEP’s resource Lebanon, please click here
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