2022 Lebanese presidential election

The 2022 Lebanese presidential election is an upcoming indirect election to elect the president of Lebanon due by the end of Michel Aoun's 6 year term.[1] The seat is currently held by Michel Aoun who was elected after a 2-year presidential crisis.[2]

2022 Lebanese presidential election
2022
Incumbent President

Michel Aoun
Free Patriotic Movement


Politics of Lebanon

Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Human rights
Executive
Legislature
Subdivisions
Elections
Foreign relations

 Lebanon portal

By convention, the presidency is always attributed to a Maronite Christian. Under the article 49 of the Lebanese Constitution, a qualified majority of two-thirds of the members of the then 99-seat Lebanese Parliament is required to elect the president in the first round. After the second round of election, the president is elected by an absolute majority of the total number of deputies in office.[3]

Background

2019–21 protests
Main article: 17 October Revolution
2019 Lebanese protests in Antelias

Large-scale anti-government demonstrations ignited in the country from 17 October. Initially triggered in response to a rise in gas and tobacco prices as well as a new tax on messaging applications,[4] the demonstrations quickly turned into a revolution against the stagnation of the economy, unemployment, Lebanon's sectarian and hereditary political system, corruption and the government's inability to provide essential services such as water, electricity and sanitation,[5] Saad Hariri ended up resigning on 29 October 2019.[6]

Hassan Diab was appointed Prime Minister by President Michel Aoun on 19 December 2019.[7] His government obtained the confidence of parliament by 69 votes in its favour.[8]

However, the country's economic situation continued to deteriorate. The government was indebted to the tune of over 95 billion dollars by the end of 2020,[9] the Lebanese pound records a loss of 70% of its value in six months[10] and unemployment affects 35% of the active population.[11] Riots break out in Beirut and Tripoli and Jounieh.[11]

Beirut explosion
Main article: 2020 Beirut explosion

On 4 August 2020, the explosion of several thousand tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a hangar in the Port of Beirut caused considerable human and material damage across the city and the port. The final toll was 218 dead and over 7,000 injured[12] and damage estimated at nearly four billion euros by the World Bank and estimated to have left 300,000 homeless.[13] The industrial-port zone of the Port of Beirut's badly affected, further aggravating the economic situation. Vital for Lebanon, the port is the most important trading centres in Lebanon which ensures the transit of 60% of the country's imports.

Candidates

Announced

Free Patriotic Movement

Kataeb Party

Lebanese Forces

National Pact
Main article: National Pact

Access to the Lebanese presidency is subject to an informal agreement known as the National Pact. Agreed in 1943, the latter limits this office only to members of the Maronite Christian faith.[16]

The National Pact is based on an unwritten agreement concluded in 1943 between the Maronite Christian president Bechara El Khoury and his Sunni prime minister Riad Al Solh when Lebanon gained independence from France. The pact stipulates that the President of the Republic must be a Maronite Christian, the Prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of parliament a Shiite Muslim.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Le Liban en 2022 : des défis récurrents et une vacance présidentielle en vue?". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  2. "Michel Aoun elected president of Lebanon". www.aljazeera.com. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  3. Rabbath, Edmond. "La Constitution libanaise. Origines, textes et commentaires". Beyrouth: Publications de l'Université Libanaise, 1982, p. 301.
  4. "Lebanon protests: How WhatsApp tax anger revealed a much deeper crisis". BBC News. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. "L'insurrection au Liban : révolution, unité et crise économique". lvsl.fr - Tout reconstruire, tout réinventer (in French). 12 December 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  6. "Lebanon's PM Saad Hariri resigns as protesters come under attack". the Guardian. 29 October 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. Hubbard, Ben; Saad, Hwaida (19 December 2019). "Lebanon, Mired in Crises, Turns to a Professor as Prime Minister". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  8. Cornish, Chloe (19 December 2019). "Hassan Diab appointed Lebanon PM with Hizbollah backing". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  9. "Lebanon - national debt 2020". Statista. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  10. Human Rights Watch (15 December 2020), Lebanon: Events of 2020, retrieved 16 February 2022
  11. "Les Libanais ne décolèrent pas". Le Temps (in French). 13 June 2020. ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  12. Wilkins, Charlotte (31 July 2021). "'They have to pay for what they did': Families of Beirut blast victims fight for justice". France 24. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  13. "Beirut explosion: Lebanon's government 'to resign' as death toll rises". BBC News. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  14. Moubayed, Sami (21 April 2022). "Wives, sons, grandsons of powerful Lebanese Christian leaders unite against Aoun's son-in-law Bassil". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  15. "Will Lebanon extend President Aoun's term in 2022?". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  16. "Lebanon (01/94)". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  17. "Lebanese National Pact | History, Significance, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
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