Tripoli - the battle of Sunni giants

Contrary to other parts of the country, no political group has a clear upper hand in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city.

Today, eight lists are competing for 11 seats. What is at stake? Lebanon’s Sunni leadership. Home to 350,000 people, Tripoli is the biggest Sunni city, and for politicians, notably those who seek to become prime minister (a seat reserved for Sunnis), it is essential to have support there.

Today, the battle will be fierce between the country’s four Sunni giants: Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who isn’t running personally but is represented through a Future Movement list; ex-premier Najib Mikati, running to renew his mandate; former justice minister Achraf Rifi, who emerged during the 2016 municipal elections; and Faisal Karame, who belongs to a famous political dynasty. Joining them in the race are two civil society lists and an Islamist one.

The streets are very calm compared with usual. There is a strong army presence, lots of military vehicles on patrol and soldiers on foot. The city is covered in posters for the elections. The big four are the most visible, but newcomers are also showing their faces.

Mohammad Nachar, owner of a glass factory in Tripoli, said he will vote for the Hariri-backed list.

"I will vote for him because for a long time he has been helping us. When we need to go to the hospital, to find a job, when someone is in jail ... Hariri found jobs for my family," he told Chloe Domat.

"For now people are not voting much, they are waiting to receive some money. After 4pm, people will receive calls offering money for votes and they will go. Not everyone is like this of course, but here in Tripoli there is a lot of poverty, so if someone offers $100 cash why not vote for him?"