Have US sanctions influenced the outcome of Lebanon’s elections?

Sanctions imposed by the United States are once again at the forefront. And this time, sanctions are precise and delicate in terms of timing and who they target. Sanctions have been levied for the first time under the new US Administration, indicating that those relying on a shift in the US approach to the Lebanese reality were mistaken. The major strategic lines of America do not alter from one government to the next. Although some strategies and methods may change, the content and outcomes remain the same.

The new US sanctions come at a delicate time, only five months before holding parliamentary elections and a year before President Michel Aoun’s mandate expires. This means that it is conveying a very strong and vital political message to individuals who were targeted. The direct targets are merely a way of identifying others who are hiding behind them. The fines imposed on Danny Khoury are, in some ways, further sanctions imposed on MP Gebran Bassil, and they serve as a warning to anyone considering funding current electoral campaigns.

Furthermore, the US sanctions against the Jihad Al Arab are a warning to Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the crimes committed without his knowledge, particularly during the presidential settlement, when the shares were shared evenly between the blue and orange movements. The final message is addressed to Major General Jamil Al Sayyed, literally stating: “Do not consider presiding over the parliament, and you may not even consider returning to the parliament at all.”

So, the US sanctions are back in effect, and there is information confirming that they will continue to be imposed in the next stage, and that the names covered by them in the future will be even more extensive than those imposed by the recent penalties. Will the impact of sanctions be witnessed in the next parliamentary and presidential elections?