Investigation Of Raja Salameh Gains New Information According to Reuters, “On Thursday, the central bank’s special investigation commission handed over account information from nine Lebanese banks on Raja Salameh [brother of Central Bank Governor, Riad] to Lebanon’s top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, the two judicial sources said. The handover of complete information would mark significant progress in the investigations after months of delay.” [Reuters]
UN Chief Addresses Lebanese Elections in Security Council Report According to AP News, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for, “free, fair transparent and inclusive,” parliamentary elections, adding, “in the report to the U.N. Security Council that political polarization in the country has deepened and the Lebanese people ‘are struggling daily to meet basic essential needs.’ He pointed to frequent protests across the country sparked by “public frustration with the political situation and the economic and financial crisis.” [AP News]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
Al Monitor Lebanese Hope For Change In May 15 Parliamentary Elections Robert McKelvey
McKelvey writes, “Opposition groups in Lebanon face an uphill battle to break the hold that entrenched political parties hold on their constituencies. Despite nearly 40% of Lebanese being willing to vote for an independent candidate — according to a poll conducted by the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation — there is little unity between independents, splitting their votes . . . Based on the interviews conducted by Al-Monitor, those seeking reform in Lebanon are typically of the younger generation, many of whom have left their country to seek better prospects abroad, while those who remain are typically older and more conservative. Entrenched political factions can thus draw upon the sectarian loyalties of their base.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.
