NNA - Written by Rima Youssef

Translated by Rabab Housseiny

NNA - Lebanon is well known for democracy, and it had had the upper hand while drafting, among others, the Human Rights Charter. But the reality does spark questions and doubts over the country's ability to enforce and implement laws, especially as the count down for the next municipal polls has begun.

Accordingly, the Lebanese Association for Democracy of Elections (LADE) has detected 20 contraventions reported by citizens, such as gunfire in Bekaa, seizure of IDs, and usage of electricity poles and trees for electoral purposes.

Former minister Ziad Baroud told the National News Agency that violations were normal amid the polls, adding that what is sought is to address those breaches.

Hoping that the municipal polls would take place in a democratic atmosphere, Baroud maintained that the elections were not aimed to building walls among people.

"Consensus is not necessarily a great thing (...) there must be a different opinion," he said.

For her part, the Secretary General of LADE, Zeina Helo, told NNA that the security forces were thoroughly detecting the contraventions.

It is to note that LADE was formed by a group of civil activists in 1996, and it seeks to build a democratic society and enhance citizenship upon the bases of transparency and accountability.

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