Bekaa Governor Kamal Abou Jaoude (right) meets with President Michel Aoun in May 2019 (Credit: Dahlati & Nohra)
BEIRUT — Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi Friday announced a decision to disband the municipality council of Ablah in Zahle and the assignment of its authorities to the governor of the Bekaa, Judge Kamal Abou Jaoude, until a new council is elected, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The decision stated that the council was considered disbanded “after losing half of its members.”
• On March 4, the cabinet proposed extending the term of all municipality councils until May 31, 2023 due to lack of [material] and human resources." The elections were originally scheduled to take place in May 2022 and the government had promised in its ministerial statement that it would hold municipal elections.
• On March 22, a group of 21 civil society groups, including the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections and Legal Agenda called on the government to “back down” on its decision to postpone municipal elections, and asked Parliament not to accept this postponement. On Tuesday, Parliament nevertheless approved the decision.