The Unitarian Druze community in Lebanon witnessed a long election day to choose new members for the Confessional Council.
At 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 25, 2024, the polling stations that had opened at 7:00 AM closed at the designated centers: Baakline Official Secondary School for the religious body category, Aley Official Intermediate School for regional representatives, Beirut's Rene Moawad Secondary School for the categories of engineers, lawyers, and university degree holders, and Rashaya Official Secondary School for regional representatives. The competition was for 24 seats that were not won by acclamation out of 68 total seats, excluding permanent members who complete the council, such as current and former deputies, current ministers, confessional judges, and members of the Constitutional Council and the Higher Judicial Council.
The electoral process took place throughout the day in a normal atmosphere without any significant issues reported. Voter turnout ranged between 70 and 90 percent, with the highest participation recorded among the religious body.
The elections were preceded by tireless efforts made by the Sheikh Aql of the Unitarian Druze community, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, in cooperation with the Progressive Socialist Party and social figures, to reach settlements, withdrawals, and acclamations, which reduced the number of competitors to only 24 seats.
Sheikh Aql of the Unitarian Druze community, Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, blessed the atmosphere that prevailed during the Confessional Council election day and the spirit of sportsmanship and democracy that fostered cooperation for the public interest. He expressed his hope that the new council would be a shared space for all segments of the Druze community to advance the sect's institutions and achieve its aspirations.
In a press briefing before the closing of the polls, he said:
"The elections for the Confessional Council of the Unitarian Druze community are taking place in their fourth cycle. This is a new opportunity to embark again on achieving the goals and objectives of establishing this council in accordance with the law issued by the Parliament. Of course, the participation is quite good, strong, and dense according to the information we have received."
He added: "We desire all members of the community to participate in these elections to engage with the Confessional Council, but we cannot force anyone to participate. I thank everyone who ran and who expressed readiness to sacrifice and volunteer for the work of this council. I congratulate the winners and those who will win—both those who won by acclamation and those who will win tonight after the results of these democratic elections are released. Alliances and perhaps withdrawals occur, sometimes at a specific request and sometimes perhaps with some pressure, but it is all for the public interest. Those who were not fortunate and those who withdrew from the nominations have all my thanks and appreciation, and we are ready to cooperate with them even from outside the council."
He continued: "This council is a broad, legal, and official space to work together—as a community with its General Assembly, the Administrative Board that will be elected, and the committees that will be formed—and everyone has their own field to work in. The field is open to everyone to compete in serving our people, our community, and our nation. Whatever competition occurs, it is positive and in a good, sportsmanlike spirit. Brotherhood exists, love exists, and the desire for cooperation also exists on the religious, spiritual, social, diaspora, and endowment levels, as well as the investment, cultural, administrative, financial, and relational levels that govern our people."
He added: "All fields are open. God willing, this council will be a new laboratory for work and good intentions, no matter how much it is subjected to criticism or sometimes fabrications in the future. However, the will is firm, the intention is good, the vision is clear, and we will continue the journey, God willing, with the support and backing of the political leadership, the prayers and blessings of the revered sheikhs, and in cooperation with the elites who will reach this council and those outside it as well, to achieve what our sons and the individuals of this society aspire to on the level of the community and the nation, and we shall harvest a competent, homogeneous, and cooperative council."
