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Lebanese expats vote in parliament polls for the first time

April 27, 2018 at 2:52 pm

Lebanese expatriates in six Arab countries today began casting ballots for parliamentary elections, according to the Foreign Ministry.

It is the first time for Lebanese nationals who live overseas to vote in the country’s parliamentary elections.

Citizens in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt this morning began casting ballots at their respective embassies.

“For the first time in the history of the Lebanese Republic, Lebanese living abroad are able to vote,” Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil told reporters at the ministry’s Beirut headquarters.

According to Bassil, 82,970 Lebanese expatriates have already cast ballots.

“Expat voter turnout today will be very important,” he said.

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The second phase of the expatriate vote will be held on Sunday in 30 more countries.

The polls will see 917 candidates from a host of political parties compete for 128 seats in Lebanon’s national assembly.

Polling will be conducted in Lebanon on 6 May under a new proportional system, which divides the country into 15 separate electoral constituencies.