The European Union announced Wednesday that it will deploy an elections observation mission to observe Lebanese parliamentary elections scheduled for 15 May. The decision comes in response to an invitation from the Interior Ministry.

 

Here’s what we know:

 

• High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell has appointed György Hölvényi, member of the European Parliament, as chief observer on the mission. It is the EU’s fourth mission in Lebanon since 2005.

 

• “The holding of elections is first and foremost a right and an expectation of the people of Lebanon, as well as a sovereign responsibility that the Lebanese government must follow through …,” Borrell said in a statement released Wednesday by the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon.

 

• His statement also affirmed that “the EU is a long-standing partner of Lebanon in supporting peace and democracy, and the presence of an Election Observation Mission is another example of this commitment. I believe the work of the EU mission will contribute to an inclusive and transparent election process and to further reinforce the democratic path and reforms in Lebanon.”

 

• In the same press release, Hölvényi expressed his hope that the EU’s work “can help to foster confidence and further reinforce the democratic process in the country with a view to a genuine and Lebanese-led reform process, and that these elections will contribute to the security and stability of the country.”

 

• The observation mission will consist of 80 people. The core team of elections analysts, based in Beirut, will arrive at the end of March and will consist of 10 elections experts covering different aspects of the electoral process, the statement said.

 

• By mid-April, 30 long-term observers will join the mission and will be deployed in the regions to follow the political campaign. Thereafter, 40 short-term observers will join the mission around elections day to observe the polling, voting and counting. Some of these will also cover the overseas voting in a number of countries where there is a significant presence of the Lebanese diaspora, according to the statement.

 

• The EU Election Observation Mission will remain in the country until the completion of the electoral process.

 

• In line with the EU methodology on election observation, the mission will hold a press conference in Beirut 48 hours after polling day to issue its preliminary statement of findings.

 

• The mission will also publish a final report, including a final assessment of the electoral process and a set of recommendations for reforms to improve future elections.