BEIRUT: A delayed Parliament session failed to convene for the second time due to lack of quorum Tuesday and was postponed until the end of this month, extending the country’s political deadlock.
Boycotting the session were the Free Patriotic Movement, the Future Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb party, independent March 14 MPs and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
The parliament’s sessions expected to be held over three days were rescheduled to begin on July 29.
The boycotting parties were the same groups that refused to attend the original parliament session scheduled for July 1 to take up a slate of pressing government issues and draft laws.
Speaking to the voice of Lebanon earlier during the day, Future Movement MP Hadi Hobeish said that his group is boycotting the session over both the constitutionality of Parliament convening under a resigned government and what’s on Parliament’s agenda.
“The problem is about [Parliament’s] agenda and the different points of view over the constitutionally of convening Parliament in light of a resigned government,” he said.
“Parliament cannot legislate in the absence of a Cabinet,” Hobeish said.
Speaker Nabih Berri had called for three consecutive legislative sessions this week to take up 45 draft laws on the agenda as well as a proposal to extend the term of Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi by increasing the retirement age of top military and security officials.
A new government has been unable to form and debate over the constitutionality of Parliament holding sessions under a government that resigned in March has led to an extended political impasse over the prerogatives of the legislature and the Cabinet.
The March 14 coalition, as well as Mikati, argue that Parliament should only meet over urgent items under a resigned government.
FPM leader MP Michel Aoun opposes extending Kahwagi’s term and argues that a new Army chief should be named.
