Lebanon’s Parliament started on Tuesday the discussion of the draft general budget law, following a call by Speaker Nabih Berri within a program of intensive sessions spanning three days.
Speaker Berri announced the opening of the parliamentary session to debate and approve the 2026 draft budget. The session proceeded with the reading of relevant articles of the Constitution.
The Lebanese speaker then extended his thanks to the Finance and Budget Committee and all those who contributed to the preparation and completion of the 2026 draft budget law.
Head of Parliament’s Finance and Budget Committee Ibrahim Kanaan, speaking as the first lawmaker during the plenary debate on the draft state budget, said on Tuesday the committee observed a clear absence of an economic and social vision in the proposal referred to it, as well as low allocations for oversight bodies tasked with monitoring state institutions.
Kanaan noted that the committee suspended discussion of the chapter on “program laws,” requesting a comprehensive government evaluation of their feasibility and implementation, stressing that the random adoption of such programs was among the causes of Lebanon’s financial collapse.
Speaker Berri Hits Back at LF MP
For his part, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan talked about the so-called “calm” while building the State.
Speaker Berri responded to Adwan by saying that Lebanon has completely fulfilled the 2024 ceasefire agreement, unlike the Israeli enemy.
“”Lebanon has fully met its obligations, but Israel has not complied with anything.”
Meanwhile, MPs voiced their opinions over its direction, priorities, and political context during the parliamentary session.
MP Jamil El Sayyed said the budget merely “adapts to the illness without treating it,” noting the absence of any reference to the financial gap and warning it continues crisis management rather than recovery, while highlighting the army’s lack of adequate support.
Remarks by MP Firas Hamdan sparked a heated exchange with MPs from Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance bloc. Hamadan cited some slogans made during latest riots in Iran: “Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon… It’s only Iran.”
The lawmaker added: “Here in Lebanon, similar approach should be made by raising the slogan: ‘Neither Tehran, nor Sanaa… It’s only Lebanon.”
The remarks by Hamdan were slammed by Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad who stressed that such political stances should be announced in a press conference rather than a Parliament session dedicated to debate the general budget.
Source: Al-Manar English Website