As election nears Lebanon's banner war rages

Although there is peace and calm as Lebanon prepares for its upcoming elections, there is one place where the war continues to rage and that is on election banners where candidates promote themselves and what they stand for.

The competition between rival March 14 and March 8 camps has been manifested in a war of banners as parties try to mobilize as many supporters as possible, Al Arabiya News Channel reported Tuesday.

This year there have been less banners with the candidates' pictures, as was the case during previous elections, and more with slogans that promote the ideology of each party.

While for candidates election banners serve their political agendas, they have become a source of entertainment for the Lebanese people as everyday they wait to see the latest ideas invading streets, buildings and bridges.

"Resist with your vote" is the slogan the Shiite resistance group Hezbollah uses as it calls upon voters to resist corruption and sectarianism. But some argue that the slogan has become old and ineffective and criticize Hezbollah for not entering the banner war with the same enthusiasm as its ally the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).

For observers, FPM, which is calling for change, is winning the war with its creative banners that use a variety of slogans, creative pictures and speak to all segments of society.

Colorful banners

One of the most innovative FPM adverts was the one that called for a Third Republic and the one that addressed women saying "Be beautiful and vote." Others slogans included "Think right" and "No future without change."

While FPM banners are mainly in orange, the color blue dominates the banners of the Future Movement. In fact, the slogan "We shall not forget so long as the sky is blue" was inspired by the words of Hassan Nasrallah.
This slogan is now repeated by loyalists and opposition alike.

The Lebanese Forces have countered FPM's campaign by using a yellow flag with an orange cedar tree to explain to the Lebanese what will happen if they vote for the other camp.

The Kataeb Party has chosen to attack the banner war itself with the slogan "Don't vote for a slogan. Vote for a platform."

As election day draws nearer, the war of the banners worsens. However, some insiders stress that Lebanese voters will not be affected by all those slogans as they come from a country ruled by political and sectarian divisions.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)