Lebanese Elections to Proceed as Planned
Lebanese officials have dismissed concerns that the parliamentary elections scheduled for next spring may be canceled. Calling such claims unfounded, officials insist that, as planned, elections will take place between April 20 and June 29, 2009. Skeptics have cited the deep political fragmentation among Lebanon’s political forces, and have voiced particular concern that the the investigation of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination, set for March 2009, will stir up tension at the time of the elections. There is concern among many that the resurgence of tensions over the 2005 incident will spill over and spark political, and violent, conflict during the elections.
Stefanie Demetriades
