Soldiers stand outside Lebanon's parliament in Beirut. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Despite several parliamentary groups' announced boycott of tomorrow's session, set to vote on an extension of the terms of office for municipal councils, quorum (65 out of 128) should be easily attained and the session takes place, according to L'Orient Today's count.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri called for Thursday's session to discuss extending the terms of office for municipal councils. On the agenda is a draft law with double emergency status, proposed by MP Jihad Samad, seeking to extend the councils' terms until May 31, 2025.
Municipal elections have been postponed twice previously due to funding issues. The latest postponement was in April 2023, when Parliament approved a law extending the councils' terms until May 31, 2024.
Wednesday afternoon, the Strong Republic bloc of the Lebanese Forces (20 MPs) held a press conference at Parliament, where MP George Okais emphasized the LF's opposition to extending the mandate of municipalities, stating that it undermines democracy. Okais warned against the consequences of constitutional violations and urged MPs to boycott the session. He insisted that they would "challenge any law passed in violation of the constitution."
Last year, LF and other groups — notably the Kataeb and independent change MPs — appealed the law extending the terms of municipal councils with the Constitutional Council. However, the council rejected their appeals, explaining that, even if the adoption of the law did indeed violate some constitutional principles, it "gave precedence to the principle of the continuity of public services."
MP Melhem Khalaf, also the former president of the Beirut Bar Association, said, in a statement, that "whoever conducts such an unconstitutional legislative session with such arbitrary laws, is holding the country and its people hostage. Holding this legislative session before electing a president for the republic is a blatant violation of the constitution and an additional blow to the foundations of the Lebanese system."
The Renewal Group, comprised of four independent MPs, including Zgharta MP Michel Moawad, announced its boycott of Thursday's session, citing opposition to the extension of municipal and mayoral councils. The group deemed it a constitutional entitlement that should not be tampered with. In a statement, they condemned the rush to extend, labeling it a "conspiracy against the constitution and the institutions." They urged all participating MPs and blocs to recognize their responsibility in potentially breaching the constitution and to refrain from betraying the trust of their constituents.
The Kataeb party (4), the Forces of Change MP coalition (3), and independent MP Bilal Hosheimy also announced they would boycott the session. Opposition MP Ousama Saad had also announced on Tuesday his inability to attend the session due to health-related reasons.
'Quorum ensured'
Meanwhile, both Hezbollah (13) and the Amal Movement (15) are expected to be present at the session.
Regarding the Free Patriotic Movement (21 with allied-Tashnag MPs), they confirmed on Tuesday their attendance at the session, aiming to ensure the required quorum and uphold what they referred to as "consensual democracy."
Other parties have accused the FPM of attending the session — despite boycotting others, as they claim legislative sessions are unconstitutional during presidential vacancy — as a way to reestablish communication with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, with whom FPM head Gebran Bassil is regularly at odds. A rapprochement has been observed lately between the two parties.
Wael Abou Faour, a member of the Progressive Socialist Party (8), headed by Taymour Joumblatt, also confirmed earlier that PSP MPs would attend the session, though he announced that his party could suggest an "alternative" solution to the extension of municipal councils' terms.