Lebanon: Parliamentary election set for May

Lebanese interior ministry yesterday announced on Friday that parliamentary elections will be held in the country in May. In a statement the ministry added: “The Lebanese abroad will cast their votes on April 22 and 28.”

The Lebanese parliament, which was elected in 2009, was extended three times after its term should have ended in 2013. In June the cabinet approved a new law which extended Parliament’s term for 11 months for “technical reasons”, tentatively setting elections for May 2018.

The parliament has been experiencing political instability over recent years and spent more than two years unable to agree on the election of a president.

After agreements were made Michel Aoun was appointed president with Saad Hariri chosen as prime minister.

Opinion: Hariri has pushed Lebanon into a new phase

During a visit to Saudi Arabia last month, Hariri issued his resignation via telephone claiming there have been plot to assassinate him and excessive interference in the Lebanese political system from Iran and his Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

After claims that Saudi was holding him under house arrest and had forced him to resign, Hariri returned to Lebanon and retracted his statement.