Legislative session tackles municipal election funding and term extension

The municipal elections have become part of the political bidding war. As soon as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called for a legislative session next Tuesday, which is known to be for extending the term of municipal and Mukhtar's councils, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for a session that will include addressing the request of the Interior Minister to cover the expenses of the municipal and Mukhtar's elections.

However, time is running out, and the extension of the term of the municipal and Mukhtar's councils has become necessary due to logistical obstacles. The executive and legislative powers exchanged messages, saying that each had fulfilled their duties.

Furthermore, the legislative session will be held at 11 AM before the cabinet session at 3:30 PM, and the extension will become a reality.
According to parliamentary sources, approving the funding in the government means allocating funds for the upcoming elections.

Thus, members of the council's office, representing the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), the Democratic Gathering, and the Development and Liberation bloc, with the blessing of Berri, agreed to the extension principle and will attend the legislative session.

However, the Change MPs confirmed their refusal to attend any legislative session in the absence of a president, as did the Lebanese Forces, which was confirmed by the head of the bloc, George Adwan.

Hence, his colleague Alain Aoun corrected him by saying that the Lebanese Forces participated in legislative sessions in the absence of a president between 2014 and 2016.