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Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

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2010 Category 3: Lebanon<br />

Western Asian<br />

Lebanon<br />

2010 category 3 – 1st Place W<strong>in</strong>ner<br />

A New Management Approach to Parliamentary Elections<br />

<strong>in</strong> Lebanon<br />

Lebanese M<strong>in</strong>istry of Interior <strong>and</strong> Municipalities<br />

Description<br />

This is a comprehensive master plan to manage Lebanese parliamentary elections <strong>in</strong><br />

conformance with new laws <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational st<strong>and</strong>ards.<br />

Summary<br />

As a result of new laws <strong>and</strong> new management approaches, Lebanon’s M<strong>in</strong>istry of<br />

Interior <strong>and</strong> Municipalities (MoIM) devised a comprehensive master plan for adm<strong>in</strong>ister<strong>in</strong>g<br />

parliamentary elections. The master plan reflected the m<strong>in</strong>istry’s cont<strong>in</strong>ued<br />

commitment to <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>tegrity <strong>in</strong> the electoral process; ensur<strong>in</strong>g that the conduct<br />

of elections is secure; transparent <strong>and</strong> accountable; exp<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g participation <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the credibility of the processes used; <strong>and</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g the vot<strong>in</strong>g process more<br />

convenient <strong>and</strong> responsive to the needs of voters. The ma<strong>in</strong> successes could be classified<br />

under four head<strong>in</strong>gs: effectively manag<strong>in</strong>g the changes that were required under<br />

the new election laws; implement<strong>in</strong>g adm<strong>in</strong>istrative reforms that facilitated the<br />

delivery of tasks; <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g civil society <strong>in</strong> decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g; <strong>and</strong> transform<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

image of the MoIM from a distant public agency to a more <strong>in</strong>teractive <strong>and</strong> responsive<br />

one that cont<strong>in</strong>uously shares <strong>in</strong>formation.<br />

The Problem<br />

With the pass<strong>in</strong>g of new electoral laws <strong>in</strong> October 2008, Lebanon’s M<strong>in</strong>istry of Interior<br />

<strong>and</strong> Municipalities faced many challenges <strong>in</strong> ensur<strong>in</strong>g that Lebanese citizens<br />

would be allowed to choose their own parliamentary representatives <strong>in</strong> open <strong>and</strong> fair<br />

elections, without <strong>in</strong>timidation, outside <strong>in</strong>terference or violence. The country was<br />

still somewhat divided after be<strong>in</strong>g on the br<strong>in</strong>k of a civil war only months before, <strong>and</strong><br />

the political l<strong>and</strong>scape was highly polarized.<br />

Shortcom<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> the efficiency <strong>and</strong> transparency of past electoral processes had<br />

resulted <strong>in</strong> a lack of trust from the general public <strong>and</strong> an absence of dialogue with<br />

civil society. With eight months lead-<strong>in</strong> to Election Day, the MoIM faced massive<br />

logistical, legal <strong>and</strong> organisational tasks to ensure secure, transparent, free, modern<br />

<strong>and</strong> democratic elections <strong>in</strong> accordance with the new laws guid<strong>in</strong>g budgetary<br />

allocations.<br />

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