It has become a foregone conclusion: The parliamentary elections in Lebanon will not be held in September, as set forth in the constitution. Thus, extending the parliament’s mandate has become inevitable. Why and how did the situation get to this point?

Serious discussions are taking place behind the scenes about the extension of parliament’s mandate, which ends in September. The fact is, it has become certain that the organization of elections is impossible in the absence of an agreement on an electoral law.

Fouad Saad, an MP for the Christian and Druze region of Aley, told Al-Monitor that "there are two opinions about the extension period. One that suggests shortening the duration of this period and making it range between three and six months maximum, in order to avoid giving the impression that Lebanon is undergoing an abnormal situation and cannot be trusted, as witnessed by its inability to conduct parliamentary elections at a time in which other Arab countries are organizing elections despite the severe disruptions they are enduring. The other opinion calls for a two-year extension because the short period will quickly come to an end under the already charged atmosphere, which is growing increasingly heated as the elections draw near.”

This means that the meetings held by Speaker of Parliament and head of the Amal Movement Nabih Berri are only media-oriented and will not have an effect on the election process and the ballot boxes.