After 18 years, student elections return to the Lebanese University

After an 18-year hiatus, student elections are set to return to the Lebanese University (LU), marking a critical moment for the country’s largest public higher education institution.

The announcement, expected to translate into polls in late February 2026, carries significance that extends well beyond campus life. It revives a long-suspended democratic practice, reopens questions about political influence in public education, and tests the state’s broader commitment to reform and youth participation at a critical national juncture.

A decision years in the making

According to informed sources to The Beiruter, a recent meeting chaired by LU President Professor Bassam Badran, and attended by representatives of various political parties’ educational councils, finalized the decision to resume student elections. The vote is scheduled for the last week of February 2026, with the process expected to unfold over two or three days to accommodate the geographic dispersion of university branches.

Elections in the first and second branches are expected to take place on the same day, most likely at the outset, followed by other branches on dates yet to be determined.

Legally, the elections will be conducted under Decision No. 2362, the internal statute of the National Union of Lebanese University Students, issued in 2019 during the tenure of former university president Fouad Ayoub. No amendments are planned, signaling an effort to avoid reopening contentious legal debates that have previously delayed the process.

Why elections were frozen since 2008

Student elections were abruptly halted in 2008 amid security concerns and political tensions, officially justified as a preventive measure ahead of the 2009 parliamentary elections. At the time, the Lebanese University was described as a potential “testing ground” for polarized national rivalries by then-president Professor Zouheir Chokr.

Critics, however, argued that the decision was politically motivated, pointing to the university’s unique demographic distribution across regions and sectarian majorities. What was initially presented as a temporary suspension gradually evolved into a prolonged freeze.

In the years that followed, shifting justifications emerged, ranging from security considerations to disputes over the structure of the student union, leadership rotation, and the electoral law itself. Meanwhile, private universities continued to hold annual student elections, often with overt party involvement.

A vacuum filled by informal arrangements

In the absence of elections, formal student councils were progressively replaced by informal arrangements rooted in political consensus. A 2012 administrative memo institutionalized a system in which party-affiliated students succeeded one another with the tacit approval of university administrations.

Over time, this practice entrenched partisan dominance, marginalized independent voices, and stripped student councils of democratic legitimacy. While political parties maintained their presence through service provision and student clubs, the broader student body was deprived of meaningful representation and exposure to democratic participation.

In several university branches, councils eventually ceased to exist altogether as elected members graduated without successors.

A broader reform context

The timing of the elections is both politically and symbolically charged. Recent presidential and ministerial commitments have placed education, and particularly the Lebanese University, at the center of national recovery and reform efforts. Official rhetoric has emphasized investment in public education, institutional governance, and youth empowerment as pillars of social cohesion and economic revival.

The decision to conduct student elections was first publicly announced by LU President Bassam Badran in July 2024, with plans to hold them during the 2024–2025 academic year. However, the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah since August complicated the situation and prompted further delays.

Within this broader framework, the revival of student elections is increasingly viewed as more than an administrative step. It serves as a tangible indicator of whether reform pledges can translate into practice, particularly in institutions long constrained by political interference and crisis-driven governance.

Historically, students at the Lebanese University have played a central role in national and social struggles, from the 1950s onward. They spearheaded campaigns for campus expansion, defended public education, and contributed to broader political mobilization, including the October 17, 2019, protest movement. This legacy underscore the importance of restoring legitimate student representation as a means of reconnecting the university with its civic role.

A long-overdue test

The return of student elections in February 2026 represents a long-overdue opportunity to restore democratic life within the Lebanese University. Yet success is far from guaranteed. Much will depend on transparent organization and genuine respect for electoral outcomes.

If managed responsibly, the elections could mark the beginning of a renewed student movement and a healthier relationship between the university, its students, and the state. If not, they risk becoming another missed opportunity in Lebanon’s prolonged struggle for institutional renewal.