In this context, the two terms are often used interchangeably, despite being sufficiently different in terms of the criteria to be taken into account if the real components of the social fabric are to be involved in the process of state-building. Justice in this context requires an electoral system based on a just division of constituencies, where the number of voters does not vary between constituencies in a way that would grossly upset the balance of the value of votes and seats.
On the other hand, elections do not become building tools – rather than tools of demolition – if the adopted electoral system does not allow the representation of all components, each according to its weight and size, i.e. ensuring proper representation without shortchanging.
We in Lebanon are still in the early stages of developing our electoral system, which is often subject to a political tug of war. As has been the case since the dawn of history, the electoral system is often the result of the balance of power in societies. If we look at the current law in Lebanon, which is based on proportional representation with one preferential vote in minor constituencies, anyone can make out the extent to which the current law, in most of its articles, departs from achieving fairness and justice of representation, as presupposed by the democratic process. Since the 1990s, civil society organizations have sought to correct the imbalance caused by the mobilization of electoral laws to suit the interests of the strongest. The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) has focused on modernizing the legal framework underpinning the electoral process by promoting international best standards and practices in this field, i.e. those that ensure equality among all citizens, equal opportunities for candidates and the right of all to see their representatives elected to parliament without any pressure or intimidation, whether physical or psychological.
With the growth of LADE’s role starting with the 1996 elections and following elections, including the campaign My Country, My Town, My Municipality (Arabic; Baladi, Baldati, Baladiyati) that demanded the holding of municipal elections after several years of deferrals, and the parliamentary and municipal elections that came in succession, it became clear to LADE’s activists how urgent it was to launch an internal workshop to reexamine the role to be played by the association. This included not only technical observation of the election process, but also engaging in the democratic process in terms of reaffirming the principle of regularity, integrity and adherence to elections as a prerequisite for ensuring civil peace, in addition to establishing the election process as an effective and peaceful accountability mechanism that would prevent unrest and violence.
The election monitoring process in all its forms and LADE’s engagement in the national democratic struggle seeking to build a state of institutions have always been in tandem. This stems from the firm conviction that democratic elections are the cornerstone of democracy. But this cannot happen without understanding and exercising this as a tool of freedom, equality and justice. Based on this, democratic awareness of the issues of marginalized groups has always been an essential part of what makes the outcomes of the monitoring process, as well as monitoring itself, a means for maintaining the health of the democratic system, strengthening civil peace and ensuring peaceful political turnover. That is, monitoring the integrity of the process and the extent to which a more just electoral competition is available to all groups, free of irregularities, with all competitors, no matter how uneven their capabilities, on an equal footing before the law and equal in rights.
LADE, in its monitoring of the electoral process, relies on its analysis of the local legal framework and standards, which are often developed as a measure of the integrity of the electoral process and its commitment to international standards. In the run-up to the elections, it primarily seeks to launch a broad election education campaign with multiple objectives. It uses such campaigns to explain the criteria of monitoring as they relate to democracy, integrity and transparency of the electoral process and in terms of their direct contribution to the development of a shared sense of citizenship and law-abidance among citizens. This stems from a firm belief that spreading awareness of political and civil rights among the segments of the Lebanese society will raise the level of political awareness of what is good citizenship and of the rights, duties and reciprocal relations between the institutions of the State and the people. On the other hand, in addition to its mission of promoting electoral awareness, the association contributes to the development and maintenance of a sense of volunteerism among Lebanese youth by explaining the importance of political participation in public affairs through available initiatives and by contributing to the strengthening of electoral frameworks through participation in the monitoring process. The development of this sense of working for the public good also puts young people in direct contact with the political process through its most significant feature, i.e. elections, whether local or public. No power is valid if it does not arise from a free choice within the framework of an electoral system that guarantees all citizens the right to political participation and the choosing of their representatives through the right vote, thus allowing citizens to renew public life by holding the elected authority accountable for the results of the mandate granted to it. This achieves an initial condition for political turnover, creating an atmosphere of political stability that provides the best possible conditions for economic, political and social development(1), and lays the groundwork for establishing sustainable peace.
The monitoring process, which is divided into three stages, begins with the process of revising voter lists and launching candidacy application; involves monitoring electoral campaigns and any violations that may occur and monitoring the electoral day, and ends with announcing the outcome and following up on any challenges. The presence of a highly credible party enjoying the endorsement of all candidates places a weighty responsibility on monitoring bodies, as they become the primary reference for providing all sides with their assessment of the electoral process, pointing out and verifying irregularities without leaving any doubts in the minds of the candidates as to the outputs of the monitoring process. They thus prevent any potential dispute between candidates from turning into to a conflict outside the concerned institutions, or the institutional paths available, as they attempt to prove the validity of their stories out of personal interest rather than the public good.
Based on the above, active and effective monitoring of the electoral process involves raising electoral awareness among all groups, and not just pointing out to irregularities, and constantly seeking to build on experiences to develop the legal framework and adapt it to political and technical developments to promote true democracy. In the electoral field, true democracy is the freedom to choose and equality among voters and among candidates – i.e. the value of votes and seats – and the application of law and adherence to international standards as regulatory frameworks. All of this is the groundwork for consolidating the principle of resorting to institutions to manage differences and competition, at lower cost and greater potential to advance the economic, political and social situation.