Maya Gebeily, Timour Azhari

BEIRUT (Reuters – Halime El Kaakour, a new elected lawmaker in Lebanon, will enter the parliament next week. She will go past concrete barriers that were erected by security forces to prevent her from entering.

A dozen reform-minded activists were among those elected to Sunday’s 128-member legislative assembly, fueled by the protest movement and public anger at the financial collapse that followed.

“You don’t want us to get in parliament as regular citizens?” We were blocked and walled in. Now we are entering as MPs.” Kaakour told Reuters that she has a doctorate in international public law and teaches at Lebanese University.

While reform-minded candidates were unable to access the resources and staff of established groups, they won more votes than Hezbollah. They also gained seats in Lebanon’s various electoral districts.

It was a major break from politics-as usual in Lebanon. Until 1975, politics in Lebanon had been dominated by a small number of political parties that claimed to represent Lebanon’s diverse religious communities.

Kaakour is 46 years old and one of only Sunni Muslim women in parliament.

The poll results on Sunday were not surprising. The Shi’ite-armed group Hezbollah lost the majority of votes it had in 2018 while its allies, the Christian Lebanese Forces party made significant gains.

Analysts fear that Hezbollah’s disarmament could lead to increased sectarian tensions. But most candidates now believe there are much more pressing matters.

‘THE BEAST IS ECONOMIC.’

They blamed established parties and their policies for a devastating economic crisis in Lebanon that saw nearly three-quarters the population living below the poverty line. The local currency has also lost more than 90% of its value.

Kaakour explained that “for more than 30years, they have been saying exactly the same things” while electricity and water were at their lowest point and they stole spoils.

“Resolving people’s crises of living is our priority… economic success is our battle.”

Elias Jrade was an eye surgeon and won a place in Hezbollah’s South Lebanon stronghold. He stated to Reuters that he would work for reforms of the healthcare system as well as electricity problems and public schools.

Jrade displaced Assaad Hardan, 70 years old and a member of parliament for thirty years.

He claimed that he fled because his daughter wanted to participate in protests against the government after 2020’s Beirut port explosion.

“I thought, shame upon me. My 16 year old daughter would like to show solidarity and build a nation. He cried, but said it should be his duty. Between back-toback operations at the Beirut clinic and his election campaign, he told Reuters that he intended to keep on as MP.

When I leave this job, you’ll be able to tell that I am a traitor. Jrade stated that my sweat is what I use to feed others and myself.

Jradi indicated that like-minded people have met to coordinate their views, but he would prefer not to form one party in order to let each of them continue to work independently. Jrade stated that he does not plan on being in Parliament for very long.

“If I’m asked for a second run after four years of being in office, that is an indication I have failed.” “I failed to train young people from all regions, all factions to assume control, and that includes the extreme-left, the far-right, and the middle of the country.”