Beirut: Lebanonis long Parliament The speaker, who held the position for 30 years, was re-elected on Tuesday for a seventh four-year term with minimum votes required and despite several crises in the country. Nevertheless, a slim majority in favor of Nabih Berik It was a reflection of a change in public opinion in an economy on the verge of bankruptcy. His re-election was practically guaranteed – even if more than a dozen new lawmakers won seats running on the reform platform.
The new legislature is being introduced as Lebanon is gripped by the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the ruling class, which has been running the country since the end of the civil war. ,
For most Lebanese, the 84-year-old former warlord, Beri, embodies this deeply sectarian-based political system and ruling class, which continues despite growing discontent and new reform-minded lawmakers winning seats. but as the leader of the Shia Amal movement, which is closely associated with the powerful hezbollah, berry Actually untouchable. Both parties have all 27 seats allotted to Shias in parliament.
The May 15 election was the first since the start of Lebanon’s economic crisis in late 2019, prompting massive nationwide protests against the political class.
The new parliament is deeply divided, with the coalition holding a majority of seats in the 128-member legislature. The militant Hezbollah group and its allies lost the majority they had held since 2018 and now hold 61 seats – four short of an absolute majority.
The 128-seat assembly cast 65 votes in favor of Berry, while 23 votes were vacant and 40 were annulled.
13 independent candidates pulled out of the 2019 protest movement and some Christian parties in parliament have said they will not vote for Berry, giving him very thin support, mainly from Shia parties belonging to the Hezbollah-led coalition. Berry was the only candidate for the position of speaker, which is held by a Shia under Lebanon’s power-sharing agreement.
Some independents and new MLAs gathered outside before the session. BeirutThe port of Ka – the scene of a major explosion in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people – and met with the families of victims killed in the explosion. After the meeting, they walked to the parliament, surrounded by hundreds of supporters chanting the slogan “Thawra,” revolution in Arabic.
The investigation into the port explosion, when hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate exploded, has been stalled for months amid legal challenges by officials charged by the investigating judge.
“Beirut has a right to know who killed him,” the independent legislator said. yasin yasinIn the context of the complicated investigation.
Slogans such as “Justice for the Victims of the Port Blast” and “Justice for Justice” were written on several ballots that were canceled on Tuesday, reflecting divisions in Parliament. Lokman Slim“A Hezbollah anti-Shia political activist who was found shot in his car last year.
The presence of independent parliamentarians in the legislature is a major achievement – they walked into a fragmented vote and faced intimidation and intimidation by mainstream parties.
It sends a strong message to politicians who have held onto their seats for decades and continue to do so despite the economic downturn that has made Lebanon poor and the largest number of emigration since the 1975–90 civil war. The wave has started.
Tuesday’s session is expected to reflect the legislature’s split between pro-Hezbollah and anti-Hezbollah lawmakers, who will find it difficult to work together to form a new government and implement desperately needed reforms.
The new legislature is being introduced as Lebanon is gripped by the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the ruling class, which has been running the country since the end of the civil war. ,
For most Lebanese, the 84-year-old former warlord, Beri, embodies this deeply sectarian-based political system and ruling class, which continues despite growing discontent and new reform-minded lawmakers winning seats. but as the leader of the Shia Amal movement, which is closely associated with the powerful hezbollah, berry Actually untouchable. Both parties have all 27 seats allotted to Shias in parliament.
The May 15 election was the first since the start of Lebanon’s economic crisis in late 2019, prompting massive nationwide protests against the political class.
The new parliament is deeply divided, with the coalition holding a majority of seats in the 128-member legislature. The militant Hezbollah group and its allies lost the majority they had held since 2018 and now hold 61 seats – four short of an absolute majority.
The 128-seat assembly cast 65 votes in favor of Berry, while 23 votes were vacant and 40 were annulled.
13 independent candidates pulled out of the 2019 protest movement and some Christian parties in parliament have said they will not vote for Berry, giving him very thin support, mainly from Shia parties belonging to the Hezbollah-led coalition. Berry was the only candidate for the position of speaker, which is held by a Shia under Lebanon’s power-sharing agreement.
Some independents and new MLAs gathered outside before the session. BeirutThe port of Ka – the scene of a major explosion in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people – and met with the families of victims killed in the explosion. After the meeting, they walked to the parliament, surrounded by hundreds of supporters chanting the slogan “Thawra,” revolution in Arabic.
The investigation into the port explosion, when hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate exploded, has been stalled for months amid legal challenges by officials charged by the investigating judge.
“Beirut has a right to know who killed him,” the independent legislator said. yasin yasinIn the context of the complicated investigation.
Slogans such as “Justice for the Victims of the Port Blast” and “Justice for Justice” were written on several ballots that were canceled on Tuesday, reflecting divisions in Parliament. Lokman Slim“A Hezbollah anti-Shia political activist who was found shot in his car last year.
The presence of independent parliamentarians in the legislature is a major achievement – they walked into a fragmented vote and faced intimidation and intimidation by mainstream parties.
It sends a strong message to politicians who have held onto their seats for decades and continue to do so despite the economic downturn that has made Lebanon poor and the largest number of emigration since the 1975–90 civil war. The wave has started.
Tuesday’s session is expected to reflect the legislature’s split between pro-Hezbollah and anti-Hezbollah lawmakers, who will find it difficult to work together to form a new government and implement desperately needed reforms.