Lebanon delays elections amid regional war

Lebanon’s parliament voted on Monday to extend its mandate for two years, delaying elections that were originally scheduled for May 2026, according to a statement from the office of parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri.

The decision was approved by 76 lawmakers in the 128-seat parliament. Officials cited the worsening security situation as the reason for postponing the vote, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The extension comes one week after Lebanon became further involved in the regional conflict, when the militant group Hezbollah launched rockets and drones into Israel, prompting heavy Israeli bombardment across parts of Lebanon.

Lebanon last held parliamentary elections in 2022, and discussions about extending the current parliament’s mandate had already been underway before the latest escalation of violence.

Similar measures have been taken before. Lawmakers elected in 2009 extended their mandate multiple times, delaying elections until 2017 due to security concerns linked to the war in neighboring Syria.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada