Traditional Lebanese Political Training which presents themselves in the May 15 ballot are based on touts to ensure the loyalty of voters.
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Frontier of Syria and surrounded by agricultural land, the village of Al-Qaa is preparing to come alive during the legislative elections, Sunday May 15. With some 5,000 residents, families who have gone to live in Beirut will be mixed, that this Bekaa village usually reviews in summer or during the holidays. Located in the district of Baalbek-Hermel, a Shiite majority, the locality is Christian. The battle is played there between the two main parties of the community: the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Current.
Local officials of these rival groups do not worry about the presence of protest candidates in the region. Everyone has done their accounts for several months, provided lists of voters established by the Ministry of the Interior. In the village, political opinions are nothing secret. “The party affixes alongside the names of color codes: supporters, those around you, neutral people. Everyone does that!” Smiles Bachir Matar, president of the Municipality of Al-Qaa, affiliated to the Lebanese Forces (FL), training hostile to Hezbollah. He had obtained the parliamentary majority with his allies during the 2018 legislative elections.
Families known to be linked to the rival camp are not contacted by a party – an unnecessary effort. But to mobilize those deemed likely to be conquered, techniques are sharpened, more effective than the electoral meetings that have been held. Thus, the presence of activists is more marked on important social occasions in the village, such as funeral. The parties do not forget those who live in Beirut: they meet or call nearly 2,000 registered on the Al-Qaa register. Their mission: to ensure the loyalty of voters.
strong personal interactions
Behind the meetings, slogans or television appearances of candidates in the campaign, the traditional parties in the running activated their electoral machine for several months, with their voting touts. They are often members or supporters. Varied tasks are entrusted to them: make family visits, collect a voting commitment, check that sympathizers have an up -to -date voter card. Or offer to pay transport costs for the ballot. “It’s legal!” Exclaims Mr. Matar. This long -standing “service” is supposed this year to alleviate abstention, while the price of gasoline has exploded.
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