The Parliament has approved a proposal to extend the term of the Army Chief and the leaders of security agencies for one year. Before the vote on the expedited proposal to extend the rank of Major General or Brigadier presented by the National Moderation Bloc, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stated, "All Lebanese without exception are with the Lebanese Army and 'no one should overshadow another.' Yes, the authority was with the government first, second, third, and fourth, and the council can only fulfill its role in this regard as we are approaching a period of holidays and vacations that could last for 15 days. If we do not carry out this task today, we fear that we will enter into a vacuum."
Sami Gemayel, head of the Lebanese Phalange Party, expressed that "due to the obstruction being practiced, it has become impossible to appoint a new army chief, and the state is supposed to fulfill its responsibilities." He confirmed that "the primary responsibility lies with the Cabinet and we are completely against the extension, but when there is no possibility for appointment, the only option for the continuity of the military institution, with all it represents, is to postpone the chief's dismissal." He pointed out that "there was danger to the military institution, which compelled us to attend this session. Today, I believe we saved Lebanon at the last moment, and it is more essential than ever for everyone to understand that there is no Lebanon without a state." He argued that if Gibran Bassil, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, were concerned about the military institution, he would have secured its continuity by postponing the dismissal through the Defense Minister.
Hadi Abu Al-Hassan, Secretary of the "Democratic Gathering" bloc, noted that "despite the importance of what happened today regarding the extension of security leaders, it remains incomplete and should be supplemented in the next Cabinet session with the appointment of a Chief of Staff and a military council."
Michel Moawad, head of the "Independence Movement," emphasized after the legislative session that "what we did today is that we saved Lebanon from the worst and from utter chaos. What we have reached is sad and is the result of a gradual disintegration of the state." He highlighted that "we have reached a reality where the economy is collapsing, the informal economy is growing daily, there is no president for the republic, and the government is not fulfilling its responsibilities... We reached a point close to seeing the army dissolve and become headless after all the blows to the state." Moawad stated that "based on our responsibility, and knowing what Lebanon means without an army, and after the parliament's reluctance to fulfill its responsibilities in electing a president of the republic, and the government's abandonment of its duties, we had no choice but to transcend our constitutional convictions; we supported the military institution to maintain its unity, effectiveness, and existence." He confirmed that "we saved Lebanon from the worst, but we are still in a bad situation, and we will not be able to restore Lebanon to a state of stability and security, except when the state regains the decision of war and peace and fulfills its responsibility through its institutions and social security, and this first requires the election of a president capable of restoring the institutional and reform path."
Jamil Sayyed pointed out that "in light of the state's inability and its collapse, some are acting today as if we are celebrating the extension of the army chief," considering that "what happened is not an achievement." He insisted in a statement to the parliament after the legislative session that "what matters to us today is the size of the army's stability and that the army chief aligns with the defense minister."
Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab stressed after the end of the legislative session that "extending the term of the army chief does not solve the existing problem within the military institution and in the country," pointing out that "the law approved today concerning delaying the dismissal has errors, so there may be room for appeal before the Constitutional Council."
In this context, the General Assembly of Parliament rejected the proposal aimed at judicial independence and transparency, at the request of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The General Assembly also returned the proposal to amend articles 3 to 8 of the "Law on Currency and Credit and the Establishment of the Central Bank" to the committees for further study.
The Assembly began discussing a proposal concerning clinical pharmacy and approved it with a single article. It then introduced the proposal to amend some articles of the Social Security Law related to women and their children, which was approved. Furthermore, a financial assistance proposal amounting to 650 billion Lebanese pounds designated for inclusion in the 2023 budget of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for the compensation fund of the teaching staff in private schools was approved. The Parliament approved the rent law for non-residential places after voting on it article by article. It then discussed the proposal aimed at amending article 73 (formal defenses) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Law No. 328 issued on August 2, 2001), which was approved. The legislative session was resumed under the chairmanship of Speaker Nabih Berri at 3:00 PM.
