NNA  - Kataeb Party leader and MP Samy Gemayel took aim at the timing of a heated debate over Beirut’s upcoming municipal elections, warning that rushed decisions on deeply rooted structural issues risk undermining the country’s fragile political balance.

Addressing lawmakers during a parliamentary session on Thursday, Gemayel argued that tackling complex topics like sectarian power-sharing and the scope of the governor’s authority just two weeks before election day was inappropriate and irresponsible.

“A discussion like this should not be sparked so close to election day, and structural issues like parity and the powers of the governor cannot be dealt with hastily,” Gemayel told lawmakers.

Gemayel laid out two possible paths forward: either a one-time arrangement that would safeguard the upcoming vote under the banner of national partnership and coexistence, or a broader political agreement that guarantees inclusive participation and protects Lebanon’s sectarian balance.

“We have two options,” he said. “Either we strike a temporary deal that allows the elections to move ahead in the spirit of shared governance, and then immediately turn to addressing this issue, which is just one reflection of the country’s deeper dysfunction, or we seek a political consensus that ensures equal representation and genuine participation for everyone.” -- Kataeb,org

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