'We have no work here in Tripoli'

The voting process is going smoothly at the polling stations that MEE visited in Tripoli. Most of the people interviewed said they voted for independent candidates, citing the major problems that the city has been suffering from the beginning of the economic crisis.

Amer Bakkur, 27, used to work at Tripoli municipality in the waste management department, but he found himself unemployed due to the economic crisis.

"We have no work here in Tripoli. I voted for an independent candidate because I hope we can change the current situation," he said.

Another voter, Nidal, 43, told MEE he wanted to wait for results to see how the elections are going. He went to vote with his family and his sister's family.

"I voted for an independent list because independent candidates suffered like us during these years. We don't have basic services, and we have been suffering from lack of the electricity for so many years," he said.

Anger has particularly bubbled up in the northern city, Lebanon's second-largest, after a boat of Lebanese attempting to cross the Mediterranean capsized, killing more than 30 people.