Lebanon’s 2025 Municipal Elections: Democratic hope clashes with realism on the ground

The municipal elections of May 2025, in which three out of four geographically determined rounds have been completed by time of this writing, suggest that the country’s mosaic of highly nuanced local challenges and strong communal peculiarities continues to dominate voter behavior and their municipal choices. The municipal elections, held on a six-year schedule with a three-year delay this time, were described by government officials as orderly and thus far conducted largely without issues, although some anti-establishment and civil society contenders for municipal roles spoke differently and have lamented violations. When seen against a backdrop of crisis and recent war, the secure environment offered citizens the first opportunity for a response to the state of the political system in an environment with recent governmental activism and a parliamentary election on the horizon for the coming year.  After the economic distress and violent conflict that Lebanon has faced since 2019, many