Focal points of Lebanon's parliamentary session: Political blocs clash over ministerial statement

Report by Petra Abou Haidar, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi  

Lebanon's parliamentary blocs began discussions on the government's ministerial statement, which serves as the basis for granting a vote of confidence. 

The statement includes key commitments such as defending Lebanon's sovereignty, implementing U.N. Resolution 1701, ensuring that decisions on war, peace, and arms remain solely in the hands of the state, reconstruction efforts, upholding the constitution and the National Accord—Taif Agreement, revitalizing public institutions, protecting depositors' funds while negotiating a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), holding municipal and parliamentary elections, strengthening judicial independence, and securing international support while maintaining balanced relations with Arab nations.  

Four major parliamentary blocs weighed in on the statement's items on the first day of discussions. Each approached the statement from a different perspective.  

The Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, led by MP Mohammad Raad, addressed key issues such as elections and reconstruction. 

Notably, Hezbollah refrained from its traditional emphasis on armed resistance, instead highlighting a commitment to cooperation with the government to preserve sovereignty, stability, and the implementation of Resolution 1701.  
 
MP Hadi Aboul Hessen of the Democratic Gathering bloc provided a broad assessment, touching on all major points of the ministerial statement.  
  
Lebanese Forces' MP Sethrida Geagea, representing the Strong Republic bloc, focused her speech on sovereignty-related issues, including the implementation of Resolution 1701, exclusive state control over arms, defending Lebanon's territorial unity, adherence to the constitution and the National Accord—Taif Agreement, the protection of depositors' funds, and judicial independence. She did not address elections or reconstruction, despite their inclusion in the statement.  

MP Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and head of the Strong Lebanon bloc, which remains outside the government, addressed several key issues, including the implementation of Resolution 1701, state control over military decisions, depositors' funds, reconstruction, and parliamentary elections. 

His remarks also included a strong criticism of Hezbollah's role in the regional conflict and an attack on Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, accusing him of an unfair approach to government formation.  

Throughout the first day of deliberations, key messages emerged from both major blocs and independent MPs, with the issues of arms control and the implementation of Resolution 1701 standing out as the dominant themes of the discussions.