Prominent parliamentary sources have suggested that Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri may call for a session to elect the President of the Republic on September 1, coinciding with the start of the two-month constitutional deadline for electing the president, at which point the parliament would become an electoral body. The sources anticipate that the quorum required for this session, which needs two-thirds of the members, will not be met due to the lack of internal political consensus and, consequently, the absence of a regional and international settlement regarding the identity of the next president. However, they also believe that several parliamentary blocs will attend this session, which will likely be postponed until a political agreement is reached.
In this context, the parliament will focus during this period on studying and approving several draft laws and proposals, including the amended banking secrecy law discussed in the Finance and Budget Committee session, particularly the removal of the term "retroactive effect," which is expected to spark widespread debate in the general assembly of the council, scheduled to be held next week at the latest, after the Finance and Budget Committee finalizes the project.
It is anticipated that the capital control project, currently in the joint parliamentary committees, will be reviewed for approval after introducing modifications, as expected by the sources, especially since a state of presidential vacancy could arise if an agreement on the next president of the republic is not reached. The sources indicate that the approval of several projects is of utmost importance, particularly regarding employee salaries and opening appropriations for this purpose, in addition to other laws.
