MPs Nazih Matta, Razi Hajj, Ghassan Hasbani and Michel Moawad at the Constitutional Council, March 11, 2026. (Photo provided by the Lebanese Forces)
The majority Christian parties have taken action. Two days after Parliament decided to extend its mandate by two years, the Lebanese Forces, the Free Patriotic Movement, as well as MP Michel Moawad and his Sunni allies Fouad Makhzoumi and Ashraf Rifi, submitted appeals to the Constitutional Council to invalidate the law approved on Monday.
The text submitted to the Constitutional Council by the Lebanese Forces, which L'Orient-Le Jour was able to consult, emphasizes that exceptional circumstances do not justify an extension of "a long period of two years." Still, according to the text, MPs stress that holding parliamentary elections should not be linked to an agreement on a new electoral law or other reforms.
This is a reference to information indicating local and international willingness to carry out institutional reforms — the full implementation of the Taif Agreement through the disarmament of militias, the creation of a Senate, and the deconfessionalization of Parliament — during this two-year period.
Upon leaving the Constitutional Council, Lebanese Forces MP Ghassan Hasbani stressed that "the vote should be held as soon as possible, after the end of the exceptional circumstances that imposed the extension." For his part, Michel Moawad stated that the move is mainly aimed at "facing the massacre committed Monday against democracy and the Constitution." "The postponement of parliamentary elections should be in accordance with the exceptional circumstances, whereas the two-year extension was voted for political reasons," he said.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Free Patriotic Movement MP Cesar Abi Khalil declared that his party is demanding the annulment of the entire text, as "some want to take advantage of the exceptional circumstances to confiscate the popular mandate." "We hope the Constitutional Council will rule on the appeal in order to allow for power rotation on a sound basis," Abi Khalil also said.
Following a short session held Monday in Parliament, Lebanese MPs extended their mandate. The two-year postponement was voted for by 76 deputies, including those from the Progressive Socialist Party, the Amal-Hezbollah alliance, the Marada, and National Moderation. Some independents (including Faycal Karameh, Hassan Mrad, and Nehmat Frem) also voted in favor of the extension.
However, 41 other MPs (mainly from the major Christian parties) voted against, and four abstained. These MPs were calling for a shorter extension that would allow the Lebanese to go to the polls as soon as the war ends.
