Lebanon Holds First Local Elections Since Israel-Hezbollah War, Testing Post-War Sentiment
Beirut, Lebanon – May 4, 2025 – Lebanon commenced its first municipal elections in nearly a decade on Sunday, May 4, 2025, marking the country’s initial vote since a devastating 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November 2024. The first round of polling, conducted in the Mount Lebanon governorate, including Beirut’s war-ravaged southern suburbs, saw voters elect mayors and municipal councils in a process viewed as a barometer of public support for political parties, particularly Hezbollah and its allies, amid ongoing economic crisis and reconstruction challenges.
Election Details and Context
The elections, delayed three times since 2016 due to financial constraints and escalating conflict, began at 7:00 AM (0400 GMT) and closed at 7:00 PM in Mount Lebanon, a densely populated region with diverse political and religious affiliations. According to Lebanon’s Interior Ministry, 9,321 candidates, including 1,179 women, competed for seats across 333 municipalities in six districts: Jbeil, Keserwen, Metn, Baabda, Aley, and Chouf. The polls are staggered by region, with northern Lebanon voting on May 11, Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley on May 18, and the heavily damaged south on May 24.
The vote follows a war that killed over 4,000 people, displaced a quarter of Lebanon’s population, and caused $11 billion in damages, per World Bank estimates. Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, bore significant destruction, with the group’s headquarters and leadership, including longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah, targeted in Israeli airstrikes. The war, which escalated in September 2024 with Israeli bombing campaigns and a ground incursion, weakened Hezbollah, though it and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, are expected to dominate in the southern suburbs, where party flags and supporters in green and yellow were prominent outside polling stations.
Political and Social Dynamics
Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, which allocates key positions among religious groups, heavily influences elections. While municipal ballots allow more room for local dynamics, religious and political affiliations remain critical. Voters like Hashem Shamas, a 39-year-old Hezbollah supporter in Beirut’s Shiyah neighborhood, emphasized the importance of “having our voices heard.” However, President Joseph Aoun, elected in January 2025, urged voters to prioritize community needs over sectarian or financial influences.
The elections test Hezbollah’s resilience after significant losses, including Nasrallah’s assassination and the decimation of its leadership. Despite its weakened state, Hezbollah’s political influence persists, particularly in Shiite-dominated areas. The Amal Movement, led by parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, is also expected to perform strongly. Posts on X, such as those from @TheNationalNews and @anadoluagency, noted the elections as a gauge of post-war mood, with some users highlighting ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations, including strikes and troop presence in five “strategic” border areas.
Lebanon’s new government, formed in February 2025 under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, has promised reforms to unlock international aid amid a five-year economic crisis that has devalued the Lebanese lira by over 90% and left nearly half the population struggling to access basic goods. The government’s vow for a state monopoly on arms implicitly challenges Hezbollah’s military wing, though analysts doubt immediate disarmament.
Challenges and Significance
The elections occur against a backdrop of economic hardship and reconstruction needs, with polling stations in public schools near war-damaged buildings underscoring the conflict’s toll. Lebanon’s cash-strapped government, which postponed the polls in April 2024 due to hostilities, faces pressure to secure international funds for rebuilding. Security was tight, with Lebanese army soldiers guarding polling stations, reflecting the fragile post-war environment.
While less consequential than the 2026 parliamentary elections, the municipal polls offer insights into shifting political allegiances. Hezbollah’s 2018 parliamentary gains and 2016 local election successes in the Bekaa Valley suggest enduring support, but the war’s devastation and economic woes could bolster independent or opposition candidates, as seen in 2022 when independents won 13 parliamentary seats.
Looking Ahead
The elections are a critical step in rebuilding Lebanon’s institutions, as emphasized by President Aoun, who sees them as a signal to the international community that Lebanon is “back on the right track.” Subsequent rounds will further test Hezbollah’s influence in the south, where war damage is most severe. The outcomes could shape Lebanon’s political landscape ahead of 2026 and influence negotiations for IMF bailouts and reconstruction aid.
For now, the vote represents a moment of civic engagement in a nation battered by war and crisis, with voters navigating a complex interplay of local needs, sectarian loyalties, and hopes for recovery.