Kollouna Watani candidate rejects deadline extension

In east Beirut, Kollouna Watani candidate in Gilbert Doumit told Ali Harb that he rejected the proposal to extend voting time because of low turnout, likening the idea to renewing the mandate of the political establishment. 

"It's true that turnout is low. But in this low turnout, we are very close to them," the civil society candidate told MEE. "There's high participation from our end. That's why they want to extend two hours for themselves."

Indeed, in a Gibran Tueni high school, which is serving as a polling station, campaigners were more numerous than voters. 

Doumit said "our lives" are at stake tonight.

"We are going through the worst time economically, politically, socially, democratically. We cannot repeat four more years like the years that have passed, no matter what happened," he said. 

Doumit spoke of massive organisational lapses on election day.