In 2018 Lebanon went to the polls. It was the first parliamentary election in nine years and there was one question on many observers’ minds: was it to be politics as usual, or would growing concern over the country’s myriad problems affect the outcome? There was at least a hint of change in the air. For the first time a grassroots movement known as the Civil Society Coalition was fielding candidates against Lebanon’s long-established sectarian parties. But apathy was the biggest winner – voter turnout was less than 50 percent. Despite general disgust over spiralling unemployment and faltering…

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