Live updates: follow the latest news on the Lebanese election 2022
Polls closed on Sunday in Lebanon's parliamentary election after months of uncertainty about whether it would go ahead.
Voting began just after 7am in the country’s 15 electoral districts and by mid-evening, Lebanon's Ministry of Interior said turnout had reached 37.52 per cent.
Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a press conference after the vote, where he denied the turnout would be as low as feared and praised security forces for ensuring the vote was held safely.
In a turnaround from high expatriate voting before Sunday's poll, the national election was on track to have one of the lowest participation rates since elections resumed in 1992 following the civil war.
At a press conference following the vote, Mr Mikati highlighted a high showing in some districts that bucked the national trend. He called the election a "victory for Lebanon."
The vote, only the second in 14 years, could be important in deciding what direction the country takes, amid the worst economic crisis in its history.
While the powerful political parties that have run the country in successive power-sharing governments since the end of the civil war in 1990 are expected to retain the majority of the 128 seats, independent and opposition groups have fielded dozens of candidates in the hope of offering a real chance for change.
After mass protests in 2019 brought down the government, there is hope among many voters that they can get a new crop of MPs into parliament and break the hold of the parties they blame for the current crisis.
“I voted for change, I was forced to leave Lebanon and I came back before the elections so I could get a chance to cast my vote here,” first-time voter Abdul Rahman Samad, 21, told The National from a polling station in Beirut.
The voting process itself, he says, was very straightforward and simple.
Voters arriving at the polling centre must present a valid ID or Lebanese passport to verify their identity. Security forces then check the registration lists to confirm they are eligible to vote at the designated polling station.
Mr Samad’s sentiment was echoed by others.
“I’m in my 50s and this is my first-time voting. I had to do something for change, maybe this will be the end of the mafias in power,” said Suzy Majzoub.
Latifa, a Lebanese homemaker, blamed the current politicians for the crisis that has pushed thousands of young people overseas to find work to support families back home.
“I have voted several times but never saw results. We want change this time. Our kids are abroad. We want change, we want jobs, we want stability. They took our kids away, they denied us of their warmth and presence, I want them to come back to me, so I had to try,” she told The National as she walked out of the polling station with an ink-stained thumb.
Dipping one's finger in a jar of dark blue ink is the last part of the voting process and comes after voters cast their ballot and sign next to their name at the polling station.
While the wait outside the room with the ballot boxes can be long, a young Lebanese woman says it is worth it.
Dana, 23, told The National she voted for the first time on Sunday and did it out of a deep desire for change.
“I hope people who are voting this year don’t repeat the same mistakes of the past years and don’t vote for the people who are behind the crisis. We really want to see change. We’re still traumatised from the Beirut port blast, why would we give them power again?” she said.
She was not the only voter to accuse Lebanon's traditional parties of causing the country's crisis.
"We can’t take this any longer. The situation is unbearable," said Layla, 60. "If we don’t vote to make a change then who will?
President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and several other key officials were also seen casting their ballots at polling stations. A man was reportedly arrested for verbally abusing the president when he came to vote in south Beirut.
On Saturday evening, President Michel Aoun addressed the nation and urged people to cast their ballot, saying it was a national duty.
“This is your chance, do not waste it, especially in light of the facts that have been unveiled in the past two years, and the lies that have been exposed, and now that corruption and embezzlement have faces and names,” he said.
The World Bank has described Lebanon's crisis, the result of decades of corruption and mismanagement, as one of the worst in modern times.
The value of the Lebanese pound has decreased by more than 90 per cent against the dollar.
Well over half the population has plunged beneath the poverty line, jobs have evaporated and food, medicine and other essentials have become scarce.
The next parliament is expected to vote on long-delayed reforms required by the International Monetary Fund to unlock financial support to ease the crisis.
It is also due to elect a head of state to replace Mr Aoun, whose term ends on October 31.
Whatever the outcome, analysts say Lebanon could face a period of paralysis as factions barter over portfolios in a new power-sharing cabinet, a process that usually takes months.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Friday's schedule at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
Formula 2 qualifying, 7pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
