Polls closed on Sunday in the first parliamentary elections held in Lebanon since 2009. Polling stations closed after 12 hours of voting that were marred only by minor incidents and were marked by what provisional estimates suggested was a low turnout. Traditional parties are expected to renew their fragile power-sharing bargain. Lawmakers extended their own mandate three times since 2009, ostensibly over security concerns linked to neighboring Syrias war and political divisions that led to long and crippling institutional crises. "This means that I voted, and Im happy that I voted and took part in change," said Guy Farah, a 36-year-old salesman showing the ink stain on his thumb as he walked out of a Beirut polling station. About 30,000 soldiers and security officers were on hand to preserve security and stability on Election Day where 3.7 million people were eligible to vote. The Interior Ministry said less than a quarter of people had taken part by 2 p.m. and President Michel Aoun appeared on television later in the afternoon to urge people to vote. Party flags flew from cars and mopeds, loudspeakers blared campaign songs and young people wore T-shirts bearing the faces of political leaders. Despite some minor security scuffles, foreign monitors said their evaluation was generally positive. Over a hundred observers from European Union countries, as well as Norway and Sweden, have also deployed around Lebanon, upon an invitation from the Lebanese government, to monitor and assess the voting. The vote was held under a new proportional system that has confused some voters and made the contest more unpredictable. But it still preserves a sectarian power-sharing system and another coalition government including most of the major parties, like the one that has governed since 2016, looks likely, analysts say. Investors are keen to see a government in place quickly as a guarantee of economic stability. Lebanon has one of the world’s highest debt-to-GDP ratios and the International Monetary Fund has said its fiscal trajectory is unsustainable. “We hope we will open a new era,” said Mahmoud Daouk, voting in Beirut. But other voters were more skeptical. “The situation is actually worse now, not better ... we lost the chance to hold them accountable nine years ago,” said Fatima Kibbi, 33, a pharmacist. Mohammed Merhi, 30, said he would not vote. “Nothing will change. It is the same people with different names. If one is not running, his son or his grandson or even his brother is.” "The low turnout as of midday is without a doubt an indicator of the disillusionment among Lebanese," political analyst Karim Mufti said. Informal results are expected to start coming in overnight and official tallies in the coming days. Donors pledged $11 billion in soft loans for a capital investment program last month, in return for fiscal and other reforms, and they hope to hold the first follow-up meeting with the new government in the coming weeks. Debt ratings agencies had stressed the importance of Lebanon going ahead with the election after parliament had extended its term several times. Around 600 candidates were competing in 15 electoral districts for 128 parliamentary seats. In each district, the seats are distributed among the various religious sects present in that area. They include a record number of women and civil society activists hoping to challenge established political parties and politicians. For the first time, Lebanese expatriates were also allowed to vote from abroad. Around 82,000 of those who had registered cast their ballots, ahead of the main election day in Lebanon.