LEBANESE VOTE IN FIRST LOCAL ELECTIONS SINCE HEZBOLLAH-ISRAEL WAR
Lebanon held its first local elections in nearly a decade on Sunday, just months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended a 14-month war between Hezbollah and Israel. The first round took place in Mount Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburbs—Hezbollah’s stronghold and one of the areas worst hit by Israeli airstrikes.
The elections, while local, serve as an early political test ahead of parliamentary polls in 2026. Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, are expected to dominate the vote, especially in the south. Party flags and volunteers were visible around polling stations, many set up in schools near war-damaged buildings.
The government, strapped for funds, delayed the elections three times in recent years. Voters, more focused on rebuilding than politics, said they were voting for candidates who could help restore basic services and infrastructure.
