TRIPOLI, LEBANON // Voters endured long line-ups, crammed rooms and heavy traffic in what was considered one of the calmest elections yet in northern Lebanon, which featured a high turnout of female voters from all religious groups.
"I am seeing a great turnout of women voters," Jimmy Carter, the former US president, said in an interview in a polling station in Jbeil, which he visited with election observers from the Carter Center.
"There is a great level of excitement and dedication to do these elections right," he said. Beginning in the early morning hours, polling stations were packed in such major northern cities as Tripoli, Batroun, Zgharta and Jbeil, with many voters, particularly women, admitting that they were voting for the first time.
"I hope this inspires women to go further and actually participate in politics," Mr Carter said. "I really would like to see more women in Lebanese politics."
Tens of women were lined up outside the Jbeil Official Middle School by 7.30am, many having left their make-up behind to get to the polls as early as possible.
"I just got up and didn't even bother brushing my hair as I wanted to be here as early as possible and vote before the crowds come," said Christelle Saliba, 23, who over-dipped her thumb and ended up with most of her hand stained with the purple dye.
"I was just so excited that I didn't notice I put my thumb in too deep," said Ms Saliba, who voted for the first time and for a slate of candidates of the Free Patriotic Movement.
Lara Hawat voted in Jbeil, while her father, the president, Michel Suleiman, voted just a few blocks away in Amchit, where he called on "all citizens" to exercise their democratic right and vote.
"Democracy is a blessing we have to preserve and it is a blessing that distinguishes Lebanon in the Middle East," he told reporters after voting.
The president also reiterated the importance of having a national unity government and to avoid provocation for the sake of a united Lebanon.
Amchit and Jbeil saw some of the highest turnouts in the country, with media reports stating that more than 65 per cent of voters in the two towns came out.
"Because the president of the country is from our area and he asked us to vote, we all came," said Raafat al Hayek, who came along with her sisters and their husbands to vote in Jbeil.
"There is just a great belief in this election because they are real and transparent," she said.
The Lebanese interior minister, Ziad Baroud, validated the use of passports as ID to vote after about 600 voters complained they were forbidden from voting in Zgharta when they showed up to vote with just their passports.
Voter turnouts were estimated by different media outlets at 50 per cent for Zgharta and Koura, while in Batroun, turnout reached 60 per cent, according to Mr Baroud.
"They need to take into account the seniors and the handicapped; they always seem to forget about us," said Fouad al Qarouni, 88, who uses a walking stick and had difficulty climbing the two floors to his voting station.
"There is still a lot to be fixed in the elections, but at least now, we don't have to fear for our lives as we vote," he said. Mr al Qarouni said he had voted five times in his life.
In Bcharre, a Lebanese Forces stronghold, the group's leader, Samir Geagea, voted for the first time. He had spent 11 years in jail for crimes committed during the civil war in Lebanon, from 1975 to 1990, and was released as part of an amnesty bill after the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 2005. Turnout here was estimated at 40 per cent.
The lowest reported turnout in the north was in its largest city, Tripoli, at 38 per cent. Here, the vote was viewed as not so much an election as a popularity contest between Najib Mikati, a businessman, and Mohammed al Safadi, a cabinet minister, both running independently but allied with March 14.
In his visit to Tripoli, Mr Baroud described the Tripoli elections as "quiet" and going smoothly.
Just two hours before the closing of the polling stations, a man was injured in a dispute between former prime minister Omar Karameh supporters from the March 8 camp, and those of MP Mohammed Kabbarah with March 14, in Bab al-Tbbanah area of Tripoli.
"I am never voting again; it was just too hectic," said Hind Kabbarah, who was voting for the second time in her life.
"It is only when I said I am not voting any more that they let me through the massive crowds of voters," said Ms Kabbarah, who voted for the March 14 candidates.
In Akkar, with turnout rates estimated at 63 per cent, three individuals were arrested by the army for their involvement in skirmishes in Wadi Jamous of Akkar. A man was also arrested after being caught bribing voters before they head to polling stations in Al-Aabda area.
rghazal@thenational.ae
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
More on animal trafficking
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
'Project Power'
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback
Director: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rating: 3.5/5
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
