Everyone promises reform. Yet the most likely result is more of the same
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskThe same pattern may apply this year. Lebanon will hold legislative elections on May 15th. Nattily dressed candidates grin from ubiquitous billboards. The most common word on them seems to be “change”. .
The political class that carved up power after Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990 built a corrupt, inept order. They stole billions through dodgy contracts and bribes, spending $40bn subsidising a state-run power utility that never provided 24-hour electricity. “The government, thes, the ministries, they are a single entity, jointly liable,” says Roy Badaro, an economist. “The system is totally locked by these people, even if they’re enemies politically.
But translating anger into votes will be hard. Campaign-finance laws are weak and favour deep-pocketed incumbents. Billboards alone cost as much as $8,500—beyond the reach of a grassroots campaign. Independents have tried to spread their messages on social media instead. Vote-buying is legal. With so much of the population in desperate circumstances, it may be easier for party bosses to buy support.
The opposition has also made missteps, chiefly its failure to run a unified slate. Charbel Nahas, a leftist former minister, has backed scores of candidates. In most areas, though, they are competing against one or two other “alternative” lists, as well as the old established parties.
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