Parity or power play? Beirut’s municipal race heats up amid shifting alliances

Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

Last Tuesday, two Lebanese MPs — Edgard Traboulsi and Nicolas Sehnaoui — were told by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at Ain el-Tineh that he was willing to proceed with any law that would guarantee parity in the Beirut municipal council. 

He even signaled readiness to call a parliamentary session to discuss the matter.

However, the two MPs were surprised when Berri stated in a Sunday press interview that amending the municipal elections law was now unlikely due to time constraints.

While the reasons behind Berri’s change in stance remain unclear, MPs from the Development and Liberation bloc argue that now is not the time for a potentially fruitless constitutional debate that could derail the elections—something firmly opposed by the Hezbollah-Amal Movement alliance.

From their perspective, postponing elections would serve Israel’s interests by undermining stability in the south.

Meanwhile, sources indicate a strong Sunni stance against amending any legal provisions related to the structure of the municipal council without also introducing changes to the powers of the governor, who holds executive authority in Beirut.

Amid these tensions, political coordination is intensifying to safeguard parity through a broad alliance involving various parties. Advanced talks have been held between MP Nabil Badr, Al-Ahbash, the Free Patriotic Movement, and the Islamic Group.

Badr said contacts are also underway with the Lebanese Forces, and a final response is pending.

The outreach extends to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement as well, in hopes of securing parity, which now appears under threat in the absence of mobilization by the Future Movement—once the dominant electoral force in Beirut.

Today, Badr says the alliance he is helping to form will uphold parity, especially since the Future Movement’s base is expected to rally behind it if the party does not directly contest the elections. 

Meanwhile, the "Association of Islamic Charitable Projects" claims to now hold the largest Sunni voting bloc in Beirut, totaling 14,000 voters.

These dynamics reflect growing uncertainty ahead of the municipal vote. No final lists have been formed yet, and the shape of electoral alliances remains fluid. 

However, the race is expected to be competitive, with multiple lists likely to emerge—including one backed by MPs Ibrahim Mneimneh and Paula Yacoubian. 

They argue that invoking “parity” is merely a smokescreen used by establishment parties to avoid genuine electoral confrontation.