All Lebanese citizens are engaged in the public realm and their political participation contributes to a thriving democracy

Reach agreement around a core set of values that celebrate diversity and build cohesion whiles making sure no community is marginalized

1.Political participation can be loosely defined as citizens’ activities affecting politics, and plays a crucial role in the promotion of democratic governance, the rule of law, social inclusion, economic development and the advancement of human rights in a society

2.Conventional political participation includes voting, volunteering for a political campaign, making a campaign donation, belonging to activist groups, and serving in public office

3.Unconventional political participation includes signing petitions, supporting boycotts, and staging demonstrations and protests

4.Globally, both voter turnout and trust in governments have been plummeting

5.The rise of social media along with the October 17th 2019 movement have dramatically promoted political participation in Lebanon

1.% of participation to elections

2.Surveys

3.The World Values Survey (WVS)

4.The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index (political participation component)

5.World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index (#3): Open Government

1.Bribery and other forms of corruption that reduce trust in the government and discourage political participation occur on a regular basis

2.Many social groups remain deprived of the right to vote without justification such as the military and policy, citizens between 18 and 21 years old, citizens who have filed for bankruptcy, and detainees who are awaiting sentencing

3.Many social groups in Lebanon are discouraged from voting due to the lack of supportive measures to encourage their inclusion such as people with disabilities, hospital patients, and people residing far from their district of registration

4.Women’s political participation in Lebanon remains one of the lowest percentages in the MENA region: Less than 5% of the total 128 parliamentary seats are now occupied by women. Similarly, women collectively make up less than 10% of the cabinet

5.There is no state Ombudsman in Lebanon, making the channels of communication between citizens and the state very complex; The presidential complaints office partially plays that role

1.The lack of democratic participation and accountability processes is a direct result of Lebanon’s political and economic past and the legal framework in which the Lebanese institutions operate

2.The weak relationship between citizens and the state has a negative impact on public accountability, separation of powers, the efficiency of public institutions and thereby weakens the integrity system as a whole

3.There is a historical and cultural distrust of government because there is no participatory decision-making

4.Family, sect, and the state conspire against women’s participation in the public sphere -- including the personal status code, social perceptions of women that tie them to the private realms of the family and the household, the limited legal protections women have access to, and the processes of gendered citizenship more broadly, where women face unequal experiences of democracy in multiple domains--state, civil society, religious community, and home

Policy Action

1. Promote local participation in managing the affairs of regions, cities, and villages through administrative and financial decentralization, along with the establishment of elected councils for Cazas (challenges)
   1. Abolish the Qaimaqam position and elect a Caza Council that appoints an administrative body reporting to it.
   2. Transfer some of the central authority powers, and the state budget provisions related to regions, to the Caza Council and its administrative body.
2. Ensure citizens’ rights to access information by imposing on all public institutions to automatically post them on their websites
   1. Post all decisions, budgets, accounts, and activities of all departments automatically on their websites.
   2. Exclude confidential information related to national security, after accurately and publicly determining them.
   3. Define a number of projects that should be subject to public consultation, publish them prior to their approval, and define mechanisms to reject them or offer alternatives
3. Increase trust in fair election processes by instituting Independent Election Monitoring committees
4. Unify the legal and political age in Lebanon by reducing the age of voting to 18 years
5. Introduce clear registration mechanisms for those wishing to vote in their region of residence
6. Implement procedures that make it easier for people to vote
7. Increase political participation through new and assistive technological innovation, particularly to improve access to political life for people with disabilities, restricted mobility, or limited literacy
8. Develop information and educational materials in accessible formats and languages that present the political process
9. Prepare all electoral centers and stations to receive citizens with disabilities