Lebanon Postpones Parliamentary Elections By 2 Years Amid Israel–Hezbollah War

Lebanon’s parliament has approved a two-year extension of its mandate, effectively postponing the country’s legislative elections due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

According to reports by AFP, the decision was disclosed on Monday in a statement issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri.

According to the statement, the extension was approved by lawmakers even though elections were originally scheduled to take place in May.

“Parliament approved the extension of its term for two years,” the statement said.

Lawmakers reportedly convened for the session as Israeli warplanes flew over the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Members of Hezbollah’s 13-seat parliamentary bloc attended the session, including the bloc leader, Mohammed Raad.

Lebanon was drawn further into the escalating Middle East conflict after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in response to the killing of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, during joint U.S.–Israeli strikes.

The postponement of elections is not unprecedented in Lebanon. The country delayed parliamentary polls twice between 2013 and 2014 due to political tensions linked to the war in neighbouring Syria, and again in 2017 over disagreements regarding the electoral law.

During the last legislative elections in 2022, Hezbollah and its allies lost their parliamentary majority to a coalition of traditional rivals and independent candidates that emerged from Lebanon’s 2019 protest movement.

Since then, parliament has remained deeply divided between the rival political camps.

Before the latest escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, political groups opposed to the militant organisation—reportedly with encouragement from the United States—had already pushed for a delay in the parliamentary elections, according to diplomatic sources.

The decision to postpone the vote also coincides with the Lebanese government’s commitment to disarm Hezbollah, a move the group has opposed as it seeks to reassert its political influence following heavy losses suffered in the ongoing conflict with Israel.