Khalil to Geagea: Speaker's powers are 'constitutional'

Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil said Friday that Speaker Nabih Berri's powers are constitutional after Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea criticized the Speaker for refusing to discuss in parliament a draft law demanding the amendment of the current electoral law ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for May 2026.

The LF, the Kataeb and other MPS forming a parliamentary majority are pushing for amending the law to allow a large Lebanese diaspora to vote for the 128 seats.

The current electoral law only allows expats to vote for six newly-introduced seats in parliament. Hezbollah and Amal argue that they do not enjoy the same campaigning freedom that other parties enjoy abroad and are objecting against the possible amendment.

"We will not allow any party to try to affect the Speaker's powers," Khalil said

Geagea had said Sunday that what Berri is doing has gone beyond all limits.

After sixty-five MPs, including those of the LF, demanded to amend the law and Berri refused to discuss the draft law in parliament, LF's Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji submitted the draft law to cabinet. Cabinet passed it and sent it to Parliament. But Berri has still not called for a session to discuss it.

"I ask you to have mercy on the Parliament, the government, and all the Lebanese, residents and expats, and to stop the obstruction and refer the draft law to a plenary session as soon as possible," Geagea said.