This paper is a summary of the monitoring of the previous parliamentary elections performed by Maharat Foundation in addition to the activities implemented keeping pace with the electoral process, in particular the part related to electoral media and advertising which constitutes an essential part of the electoral law and the basic general principles for ensuring fair, impartial inclusive democratic elections.

This paper presents the link between electoral media and advertising and the democratic process. It also sheds the light on challenges that have hampered ensuring balance between candidates and their access to information about their rights and duties as well as informing citizens about the democratic process through voter education. This paper offers solutions and recommendations to stakeholders that can use them as guidelines for the 2022 elections.

Electoral media and advertising, and the democratic process: what’s the connection?

Electoral media and advertising play an essential role in the forming the public opinion and influence the course of “the democratic transition” during the electoral campaigns carried out by candidates to fill in the 128 parliamentary seats forming the Lebanese assembly every 4 years.

The larger the number of parliamentary blocs of a party or coalition, the more this political party can impose its conditions and bargain, either in the formation of the government and its path or in influencing the legislative process and policy making. 

In this spirit, the law on the election of members of the parliament number 44 from 2017 stipulated that public and private media operating in Lebanon are subject to restrictions during the electoral campaigns period regarding electoral media and advertising. The text of the law included obligations for all media outlets including digital media outlets.

The chapter VI of the law on the election of members of the parliament stipulates under the title “electoral media and advertising” in the articles 68 to 83 several obligations related to electoral campaigns that apply to media, candidates, polling institutes and the Supervisory Commission with regard to regulation and control procedures. 

you can find the full paper on this link: Media and electoral advertising