Tripoli: 'People will vote for whoever pays the most'

Tripoli is home to some of the country’s poorest people. Once boasting a vast infrastructure network, including an airport, a port, a train station and an oil refinery, today only the port is still in service.

The most deprived districts are the Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbeneh neighbourhoods. People there told MEE they believe the unemployment rate to be around 80 per cent. 

"I don’t want to beg for money from politicians anymore, I want to be represented by someone who will really boost economic activity here and create jobs. But for now that is not an option," said Ali, a 37 -year-old from Jabal Mohsen who will vote for the Future Movement list.

"Honestly, people will vote for whoever pays the most. This is how you think when you are poor and you can’t feed your children. What else can we do? Take a boat to Europe?” asked Sleiman, sitting next to him.

"Personally, I like the ideas of civil society candidates, but I met with someone from the Future Movement and he told me that if I put up posters for his list and open a little bureau on the day of the elections, he would find a job for me. He runs a big hospital nearby and has helped me in the past so I believe him. What other choice do I have?" he said.

In the polling stations of Jabal Mohsen the participation rate was around 20 per cent at 1pm.  Delegates from the parties inside the bureaus believe that people will rush to vote later in the afternoon, when bribe money comes.