Live blog update| Lebanon Votes
This is an entry from: LIVE: Lebanon holds first parliamentary election since 2009

Christian competition heated in north Lebanon's Batroun

6 May 2018 17:57 BST

Chloe Domat has left Tripoli and headed down the coast to the predominately Christian town of Batroun, which is witnessing a fierce contest between some of Lebanon’s most prominent Christian politicians.

Batroun, along with Bcharre, Zghourta and Koura, make up the North 3 electoral district, where three major lists are competing: the FPM vs the LF and Kataeb vs the Marada Movement and independent politician Boutros Harb. Each list has a heavyweight politician behind it who not-so-secretly hopes to become president one day. 

An FPM-supporter's car is covered in the party's signature orange and bears a picture of Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil in Batroun, north Lebanon, 6 May, 2018. (Chloe Domat/MEE)

All eyes are on Gebran Bassil, President Aoun’s son-in-law, foreign minister and president of the FPM. Bassil has previously failed to gain a seat in parliament, and is desperate not to repeat the trick this time around. Things seemed to be going in his favour in Batroun, where the participation rate stood a little above 50 per cent at 6 pm.

"I voted for him because he is a heavy worker and I am sure he will improve a lot of things in Batroun," Dany, a 40-year-old supporter of the FPM, told MEE. 

An image of the Free Patriotic Movement's Gebran Bassil looks down on Lebanese Forces supporters in Batroun, 6 May, 2018. (Chloe Domat/MEE)

Some voters believe the new electoral law was designed to make him win. 

"It’s impossible for him to lose with the proportional system and that is unfair. I voted for the Lebanese Forces, my family always supported them, but this time I don’t think we can win," said Dana, a 22-year old-waitress from a village nearby.