Former Deputy Prime Minister and Beirut I MP, Ghassan Hasbani. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT —The Lebanese Forces announced on Tuesday their intention to boycott a parliamentary session scheduled for Wednesday. The session is devoted to discussing the thorny issue of corruption in the telecommunications sector.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and current LF MP for Beirut I Ghassan Hasbani justified the boycott, saying that all parliamentary sessions should be devoted to the election of a president until one is elected. Parliament has so far failed to elect a new president since the end of Michel Aoun's mandate on Oct. 31.
"In the context of presidential vacuum, Parliament can only meet to elect a president," Hasbani was quoted by the National News Agency as saying on Tuesday. "The Lebanese Forces insists on accountability. The Strong Republic bloc [affiliated with the LF] is among those who pushed to transfer the telecoms file to the Parliament … Nevertheless, we will not participate in Wednesday's meeting, as Parliament should only meet to elect a president," Hasbani explained. "The legislature and the executive can resume normal work only when a new president is appointed," he added.
For his part, MP Elias Stephan (LF/Bekaa I) also explained on Twitter on Tuesday that his party favors the election of a president before any resumption of parliamentary activities.
Parliament has met eight times since September without success to elect Aoun's successor. A new electoral session is scheduled for Thursday.