Lebanon weighs security concerns ahead of municipal elections in war-hit south

Lebanon is assessing the security risks of holding municipal elections in the war-torn south this Saturday, amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes, according to Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar.

The final round of Lebanon's long-delayed municipal elections is scheduled to take place on 24 May in the southern governorates, wrapping up a month-long voting process that has been postponed three times since 2022.

But near-daily Israeli strikes, particularly near the border with Israel, have raised serious concerns about the feasibility and safety of the vote.

Despite this, Hajjar said the government's decision to carry out the elections is "clear and decisive," reaffirming the state’s commitment to ensuring their integrity and security.

“The municipal and mayoral elections are very important, and the reconstruction process is both a duty and a right for the people of the south,” he said from the southern city of Nabatiyeh.

Hajjar also led a security meeting in the port city of Sidon earlier on Tuesday to finalise preparations for election day. “We confirmed today that there is full readiness to hold the elections next Saturday in utmost safety,” he said.

Although a ceasefire was signed on 27 November, formally ending more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, including two months of full-scale war, Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon have continued almost daily.

The risk to civilians and logistical challenges have raised questions about how the government would manage the vote, especially in border towns and villages that were heavily damaged or completely destroyed by Israeli bombardment.

Even areas further inland remain at risk, with strikes posing a danger to polling stations and voters. The election will run from 07:00 to 19:00 local time (04:00–16:00 GMT).

A symbolic date

Unlike other voting rounds, which were held on Sundays, the south Lebanon election will take place on a Saturday to avoid coinciding with a national holiday.

Sunday, 25 May, marks 25 years since Israel ended its occupation of southern Lebanon, which lasted from 1976 to 2000.

But more than two decades later, Israeli forces crossed the border again, vowing to stay and prevent Hezbollah from regrouping after suffering losses in last year’s fighting.

Under the terms of the 27 November ceasefire, Israel was expected to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory. However, after two delays, Israeli troops still occupy five strategic locations along the border.

The Lebanese government has repeatedly called on the United States and France to pressure Israel into completing its withdrawal and ending its attacks.

Beirut is seeking international assistance to rebuild areas devastated by the conflict, particularly in the south. While European countries, Gulf states, and global financial institutions have expressed willingness to help, they have tied reconstruction aid to long-overdue fiscal and administrative reforms.

Foreign governments have also urged Lebanon to disarm all armed groups, including Hezbollah, as a condition for support. Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah is expected to hand over its weapons and allow the Lebanese army to fully deploy across the southern region.