After spending most of their life abroad, Youmna Debs Bekhazi and her family decided to return to Lebanon in 2016. Four years later, they packed their bags again in search of a better future.

“Life was hectic, but good in Lebanon. We loved being surrounded by our family and seeing our children connect to their roots,” says Debs Bekhazi.

"However, it did not last long and we had no choice but to leave for Romania after the explosion in the port of Beirut which destroyed our house and the economic crisis which took all our savings. "  

Despite the disappointment, Youmna and her family's hope for change prompted them to register to vote for the next legislative elections which will take place on March 27, 2022.

"I believe the elections are the seed of the change we all need," she said. "If the situation improves, we will return to Lebanon without hesitation.

"More expatriates engage in the democratic process"

Friday, November 19, there were a total of 210,033 expatriates registered for the 2022 elections according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is more than double the number of registered voters in the 2018 election (around 82,000).

"This increase indicates that more expatriates are engaging in the democratic process," said Zeina Mokaddam, member of Nahwal Watan, a platform for political change and socio-economic renewal.  

Ralph Debbas, a Lebanese expatriate living in New York, is among those who did not vote in 2018, but he has already registered for the 2022 election. He encourages others to do the same.

Lebanese expatriates in New York, November 2021 © Sally Farhat

"While we felt there was a crisis [in 2018] and we knew the government was corrupt, we thought we were unlikely to change anything due to lack of unity and leadership ", he explains to France 24." This time, however, we are united, he continues. The catalyst was mainly the explosion of August 4, but also the crisis which started before.

The current registration trend predicts an average growth of 5-8.5% in the number of registrants per day until November 20, according to Ana Al Arar, an independent Lebanese group committed to constructive change.

Nancy Stephan Jabra, member of the Lebanese Diaspora Network (TLDN), explains that several reasons contribute to this success.

Among them, mobilization efforts and global initiatives to encourage expatriates to register.

"In 2018, the Lebanese government and embassies around the world had a very limited reach," Stephan Jabra analyzes.

"This time, the diaspora networks are doing the government's job of encouraging and helping people to register."

From social media campaigns and field events to 24- to 48-hour registration marathons, Lebanese expats from all parts of the world have joined forces to raise awareness of the importance of voting.

"Social media campaigns have proven to be the most effective with people who just need a boost to sign up. For the most reluctant, Zoom or WhatsApp calls work better," says Ghassan Hassan , a member of Nahwal Watan, claiming that he volunteers nearly five hours a day.

"We are also helping some people resolve technical issues encountered during the registration process."

People living in the Diaspora have been loving, giving and loyal to their Lebanon for decades.

We owe it to ourselves to have a say.

Registrations are shooting up!

10 days to go let's break the 150K barrier💥Check out for help @KullunaIrada @TLDNet @sawtivoice @Nahwalwatan pic.twitter.com/zcvrqKA7TW

- Dalia Salaam Rishani (@DaliaRishani) November 10, 2021

Cristine Kahil, founder of the Lebanese Diaspora Exchange in Canada and volunteer in several diaspora groups, also participated in offline communication actions.

"I printed flyers, went to certain establishments and dropped them off," she explains.

"We also had public events where people could stop by and register. It was a way of bringing digital into real life to make people want to register."

Increased political awareness

As the registration deadline approaches, the question that remains is whether those who registered will actually go to vote in the 2022 election.

According to Mokaddam, voter turnout will depend on the ease of access to voting centers around the world and the efforts of the Lebanese Foreign Ministry in this regard.

"If people have to travel from one city, state or country to another, we will see the number of voters drop," says Mokaddam. However, if the government, under pressure from the international community, runs a smooth election, we can expect 70% or more turnout. "

The elections are a turning point in our country's future, imagine the change we can bring if we all come together to vote for it!



Don't miss the registration deadline, you have until the 20th of November! #Nahwalwatan # LebaneseElections2022 #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/hY0QnMQmUe

- Nahwal Watan (@Nahwalwatan) October 29, 2021

To ensure that registered expats vote well, Stephan Jabra points out that the TLDN network has planned several events, including a campaign with the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) to increase political and civic knowledge.

Other diaspora networks have also planned several actions.

According to Stephan Jabra, whatever the turnout, the results of this election will be remarkable given the heightened political awareness of the Lebanese, in Lebanon and abroad, itself linked to the events of the past three years.

Adapted from the English by Pauline Rouquette.

Find here the original version of the report by Sally Farhat.

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