Special Edition - Running for Beirut

Sunday May 4th, 2025

I’m Running for Beirut on May 18th 🇱🇧

If you’ve been reading Think with K over the past few months, you’ve probably sensed a certain restlessness—a deep desire to contribute meaningfully to the renewal Lebanon is beginning to experience. I first channeled that energy into awareness and analysis through this newsletter, hoping to reconnect people with the public issues that matter.

Now, I’m choosing to walk the talk—by running as a candidate in the 2025 Beirut Municipal Elections, with the Beirut Madinati 2025 Coalition.

This decision wasn’t made lightly, but with deep conviction that Beirut deserves better. Our city needs competent, caring, and present leadership. Public service that restores trust. A municipal council that delivers on practical solutions, grounded in local implementation and public good.

My goal has always been to bring politics back to the people—and there is no better place to do that than the municipality.

Why I’m Running

I believe in grassroots politics—where public service starts at the municipal level, closest to people’s daily lives. It’s where decisions about our streets, waste management, green spaces, and basic dignity are made—or neglected. And it’s where real change begins.

I’ve been a proud member of the National Bloc since its re-establishment—an independent, secular political party rooted in democratic reform and citizen-led change. When the Bloc approached me to run as a candidate on the Beirut Madinati 2025 list, I saw an opportunity to serve my city in the most meaningful way I know how.

Over the past few days, I’ve had the chance to meet the 23 other candidates on our list—each one a leader in their field, driven by public interest and expertise. Learning from them—and with them—has been a key motivator in joining this race.

Our full list of candidates and electoral program will be published in the coming week, so stay tuned !

What I Bring to This Campaign

I bring to this campaign not just commitment—but lived experience, perspective, and purpose. Specifically:

• As the youngest candidate on the list, I carry the voice of a generation that had to leave Lebanon in search of economic opportunity. I’m running to reengage youth in local politics—and to speak for the lost diaspora we hope to bring back, home to the shores of Beirut .

• I bring my expertise in environmental policy, rooted in the belief that sustainability should drive economic growth and social innovation. There is no sustainability without profitability—and I intend to make that case through bold, practical solutions that secure Beirut’s future.

What Are These Elections?

🗓️ The Beirut Municipal Elections will be held on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Voters will elect a 24-member municipal council responsible for the city’s affairs for the next six years.

These are the first municipal elections since 2016, and they come at a crucial time—amid the aftermath of war and a wave of political renewal in Lebanon. This election should help sustain the momentum toward reform and competency-based politics.

This election is about how the city functions—and who it functions for.

Who Can Vote?

To vote in the Beirut municipal elections, you must:

✔️ Be 21 years or older
✔️ Be registered to vote in Beirut (Beirut I or II — both vote as one for the municipality)
✔️ Be in Lebanon on election day
✔️ Present a valid Lebanese ID card or passport

• If your ID or passport is expired, you must also bring a recent إخراج قيد / extrait d’état civil with your ID or passport.

❗️ Please note:

• The diaspora cannot vote in municipal elections

• Voting by proxy is not allowed — you must vote in person

🧭 Not sure where you or your loved ones are registered? Reach out—we can help you find out.

How You Can Help

Even if you’re not eligible to vote or won’t be in Beirut on May 18, you can still make a real difference. Here’s how:

📣 Follow and share my campaign on social media
🗣️ Identify Beirut voters among your friends and family—and help connect us
🤝 Volunteer for the campaign — DM me on Instagram or reply to this email to get involved

📸 Instagram: Account

📘 Facebook: Page

A Note on This Newsletter

In the interest of transparency and integrity, I’ll be pausing the regular format of Think with K and the Karometer until after the elections.

Next week’s edition will introduce the full list of candidates and our electoral platform to rehabilitate Beirut and restore the dignity its people deserve.

Thank You

Thank you for being part of this journey 🙏

Whether you’ve been reading Think with K from the beginning or you’ve just joined, I’m grateful for your trust, your support, and your belief in Beirut’s potential.

Let’s reclaim this city—not just for our generation, but for everyone who wants to call it home.

With hope and drive,
K