25 MPs are millionaires and 20 millionaires are MP candidates

If you have a fortune, the political forces and parties will welcome you to join their lists and access Nejmeh Square.

Candidacy fees are LBP 8 million. This cannot be recovered regardless of whether the candidate wins, loses, or receives 20% of the votes polled.

The law permits each candidate to spend vast sums of money to finance their electoral campaign, a fixed amount of LBP 300 million and a flexible amount of LBP 5,000 for each voter registered in the larger electoral district, so that in some districts spending per candidate could  reach  LBP 2.5 billion. If the candidates do not have a fortune, how can they face the power of money?

In the current Parliament, at least 25 MPs are millionaires. They span all regions and religious sects. There are also about 20 millionaire candidates who might win the next elections. If we consider that the 25 wealthy MPs are also candidates and they might win, the number of wealthy MPs might reach 45, i.e. 35% of the total. The presence of so many millionaires in our Parliament while more than half the population lives on the poverty line would be questionable, deplorable, and ridiculous.