Deputy Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, José Antonio de Gabriel told Asharq Al-Awsat on Thursday that his team is studying means to place tougher control measures on the use of political money during the May 6 parliamentary polls in Lebanon.
“If pursued seriously, those measures would help establish a common ground for all candidates, regardless of their financial outcomes,” de Gabriel said.
Asked about claims of attempts to buy votes in the north of Lebanon and in Beirut, he said: “We are informed about claims to buy votes. We are paying attention to candidates who pledge to offer social and health services, or jobs. We are checking those claims on the ground.”
Three weeks ago, the European Union Election Observation Mission deployed 24 long-term observers to 12 different locations in Lebanon, to begin their efforts to support credible, transparent and inclusive parliamentary elections.
The team is led by Spanish MEP Elena Valencia.
The Deputy Chief Observer asserted that his team was studying means to “monitor the electoral campaigns in Lebanon” in line with the “right to secret ballot.”
Asked whether the team had already documented any violations of the Lebanese electoral law, de Gabriel said, “Our observers will tell us if they hear any claims linked to the presence of violations.”
He added that the team could not present its final report on the progress of the electoral process before Election Day.
“This is part of our mission. We need to place a comprehensive image and we can’t intervene at any phase of the electoral process,” he said.
According to de Gabriel, the observers also need to measure the gravity of any violation, if existing, and to investigate its purposes.
