With the date of the parliamentary elections approaching, Lebanon is effectively witnessing the beginning of the countdown, not towards the elections, but towards a constitutional and political crisis, spearheaded by the government’s failure to fulfill its duties. Instead of the government, led by Nawaf Salam, taking the reins and activating the legal process on time, it appears to be dealing with the file in a procrastinating manner, which threatens to postpone the elections.
The law is clear and does not allow for circumvention or interpretation. Elections Law No. 44/2017 requires the state to issue a decree calling for voters and publish it in the Official Gazette at least 90 days before the date of the elections. This means, in practice, that the invitation must be issued before February 10, 2026, which is the date set for the start of candidacy, and must end on March 10, 2026. Therefore, it is no longer just a political issue open to debate, but a legal obligation, and any delay is a clear violation that endangers the entire electoral process.
Despite the clarity of the texts, the situation is becoming more complicated with the return of the file of expatriate voting and “District 16” to the forefront. So far, the government has not decided on the mechanism for candidacy abroad, the method of voting, how to distribute the six seats among the sects, or the electoral system that will be applied in this stage, whether it is proportional or majoritarian. As time passes, this file is transforming from an organizational issue into a political bomb that threatens the entire electoral process.
More seriously, the law itself clearly identifies the responsible party. Article 124 states that “the details of the application of this law shall be determined by decrees issued in the Council of Ministers based on a proposal from the Minister of Interior and Municipalities.” This means that the Council of Ministers, headed by Nawaf Salam, is the party obligated to issue the executive decrees and is responsible for activating the necessary mechanisms.
However, the Council of Ministers is still unable to make a decision regarding the mechanism for candidacy and voting abroad, while only 23 days remain until the start of candidacy, which places the government in a position of direct responsibility that cannot be evaded.
In this context, Interior Minister Ahmed Hajjar previously stated that his goal is to “adhere to the deadlines imposed by the election law,” and explained that “the final word” on the proposal he will submit based on the report of the technical committee will be for the Council of Ministers, either through the issuance of implementing decrees or considering that these details require legislation from the Parliament. This proposal opens the door to an additional problem, because the current law does not rely on political interpretations, but imposes a clear executive path and obliges the government to implement it unless it is formally amended.
In light of these circumstances, talk of a “technical postponement” is becoming more likely. It is fundamentally an attempt to disrupt the electoral process, because a technical postponement requires a major logistical obstacle that prevents implementation, while the facts indicate that the main obstacle is political and administrative: failure to issue the decrees on time, then promoting the idea that time is no longer sufficient, as if the state is creating excuses for itself.
It is natural for elections of this size to face organizational challenges, but what increases doubts is that the government finds the time to hold sessions, make appointments, and open various administrative files, while it fails to fulfill a constitutional entitlement the size of the elections within a legally binding deadline. This indicates that the problem is not in the time, but in the priorities, and that the administration of the state is limited to appointments while democracy remains suspended.
Even the discussion about the government sending a draft law to amend the election law does not change anything from the current legal reality. Unless the law is amended in Parliament, approved, and published, the government remains obligated to apply the current law as it is, and cannot use future projects to justify disruption or buy time.
Based on this, the primary responsibility lies with the government and its head, Nawaf Salam, who is supposed to be keen to respect the deadlines and not be a cause of delay. Either the state applies the law and invites the voters within 90 days and launches the electoral process, or it opens the door to a new crisis entitled postponing the elections under the pretext of “technicality,” while the truth is political inability or an unannounced decision.
With the deadline approaching, the question remains: Will the government of Nawaf Salam assume its responsibility and implement the current law on time? Or will we witness a familiar scenario: disruption then justification, postponement then settlement, and Lebanon once again pays the price for a state that does not abide by its law?
Basic Election Timeline (May 10, 2026 Elections):
- November 20, 2025: Deadline for non-resident registration
- December 10, 2025: Resignation of Category 1 and 2 employees and military personnel to run for office
- December 12, 2025: Appointment of the head and members of the Election Supervisory Board
- February 1, 2026: Appointment of Primary and Higher Registration Committees
- February 1, 2026: Start of the voter registration correction period
- February 10, 2026: Invitation to the electoral bodies and opening of candidacy
- February 20, 2026: Deadline for correcting lists for non-residents
- March 1, 2026: Deadline for correcting lists for residents
- March 10, 2026: Closing of candidacy
- March 10, 2026: End of voter registration audit period
- March 26, 2026: Deadline to withdraw from candidacy
- March 30, 2026: Issuance and freezing of final electoral lists
- April 1, 2026: Deadline for registering lists
- April 11, 2026: Appointment of polling stations and centers abroad
- April 21, 2026: Appointment of polling stations and centers in Lebanon
- April 30, 2026: Start of the period prohibiting the publication of opinion polls
- May 1, 2026: Date of non-resident elections on Friday
- May 3, 2026: Date of non-resident elections on Sunday
- May 7, 2026: Voting of official election officials in Lebanon
- May 8, 2026: Start of election silence
- May 10, 2026: Date of elections on Lebanese territory
- May 12, 2026: Start of the period for submitting electoral appeals for one month
- June 11, 2026: Deadline for submitting the election campaign account.
