Lebanese parliament delays elections amid war

On Monday the Lebanese parliament voted to extend its own mandate by another two years, postponing elections scheduled for May. According to the office of parliament speaker Nabih Berri, 76 of the 128 MPs supported the move.

The vote came just a week after Lebanon became more deeply involved in the regional conflict. The militant movement Hezbollah began firing rockets and drones at Israel, which responded with extensive bombing across Lebanon. Even before the latest fighting broke out, there had been discussions about the possibility of extending the mandate of the parliament elected in 2022.

This is not the first time Lebanese MPs have resorted to such a step. The parliament elected in 2009 extended its mandate until 2017, arguing that there were security risks linked to the war in neighbouring Syria.

However, the opposition and part of the public have long criticised the postponement of elections, arguing that it weakens trust in institutions and deepens political stagnation in the country.

(reuters, lud)