Carter Center launches poll-observing mission
The Carter Center launched an international election observation mission to Lebanon last week by deploying six long-term observers to cover all of the country”s qadas (districts), the center said in a statement on Tuesday.
The observers represent a diverse team from six countries: Portugal, Belgium, Iraq, the United Kingdom, Albania, and the United States. Observers will monitor the electoral process leading up to parliamentary elections anticipated on June 7. Their assessment will focus on the administration of the elections, the campaign period, voting and counting procedures, electoral complaints and appeals mechanisms, and other issues related to the overall electoral process in Lebanon.
The Center”s evaluation will be made against Lebanese electoral law, the Constitution, and the country”s international commitments regarding democratic elections. The Carter Center received formal accreditation from Lebanon”s Ministry of Interior and Municipalities on March 31. A Carter Center office was established in Beirut in late-January and is led by Field Office Director Adolfo Cayuso.
Observers will meet with election officials; political party and civil society representatives, including domestic observation groups; members of the international community; and other stakeholders to form an assessment. The Center”s long-term observers will be joined by some 40 short-term observers from various nationalities around election day. "The Carter Center welcomes the opportunity to observe Lebanon”s electoral process," said David Carroll, director of the Center”s Democracy Program. "We hope that our presence will contribute to a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process, and will support Lebanese efforts to promote key reforms for future elections."
The Center will remain in close communication with the Lebanese authorities, all political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, media, and other international and domestic observer missions. The Center will release periodic public statements on electoral findings, available on its Web site: www.cartercenter.org.