In light of the controversy surrounding the ideal period for extending the mandate of the House of Representatives, and in view of the exceptional circumstances that the country is going through, the Lebanese Forces this morning submitted a proposal to extend the mandate of the House for a period of six months, prior to the plenary session scheduled for Monday afternoon to discuss the three proposals related to this extension.
Information confirmed that this proposal is based on the existence of force majeure circumstances that require an extension. She indicated that a six-month extension is considered an appropriate and limited period in light of the current exceptional circumstances, as an extension for a year or more may constitute a long period at this stage. Therefore, the principle of temporary extension is adopted, provided that the situation is re-evaluated later according to developments.
The information added that “the Lebanese Forces believe that extending the term for a longer period represents an exploitation of the force majeure circumstances than the other team that proposes extending the mandate for two years.”
Thus, there is a clear disagreement over the most appropriate period for extension, between those proposing six months and those proposing longer periods, within the context of the ongoing constitutional debate, waiting for Monday’s session to definitively resolve the issue of extension.
