Parliament in paralysis: Laws stuck, reforms delayed

In an interview addressing Lebanon’s stalled legislative process, Lebanese lawyer and member of the Beirut Bar Association Council Elie Klimos shed light on the structural, political and legal obstacles preventing Parliament from fulfilling its role throughout the past year.

Speaking from a constitutional and legal perspective, he outlined how deficiencies in the parliamentary system, political calculations and the absence of genuine legislators have contributed to legislative paralysis. The discussion focused on several key laws that have either been delayed, inadequately addressed or not proposed at all, despite their central importance to Lebanon’s political, economic and social recovery.

The key challenges facing Parliament

According to Klimos, Lebanon’s legislative crisis stems from three interconnected problems:

- First, there is a structural issue within Parliament’s internal system, particularly the legislative mechanism that often stalls proposed laws in committees.

- Second, parliamentary blocs frequently prioritize political interests over legislative responsibility.

- Third, decline of professional legislators within Parliament. Whereas previous assemblies included prominent jurists and legal scholars, today’s Parliament, in his view, is dominated by businessmen rather than lawmakers trained in constitutional and legislative work.

As a result, laws are poorly drafted, delayed or left unresolved. Klimos argued that meaningful reform begins with electing legislators rather than career politicians.

The electoral law and expatriate voting

The electoral law featured prominently in the interview.

Klimos explained that current debates do not concern drafting a new electoral law but amending the existing one, particularly the article governing expatriate voting. Under Parliamentary Election Law No. 44/2017, expatriates voted for all 128 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the 2018, while in the 2022 elections the law was amended to ensure diaspora voting as well. However, beginning with the 2026 elections, the law restricts expatriates to vote for only six MPs.

Klimos supports amending this provision to allow expatriates to vote for all 128 MPs, as they did previously. He argued that Lebanese expatriates are not voluntary migrants but forced emigrants who continue to sustain the country economically through remittances.

He also criticized the Speaker of Parliament for failing to place proposed amendments on the parliamentary agenda, despite petitions signed by numerous MPs. While acknowledging broader flaws in the electoral law, he stressed that reforms should occur after elections, not in the months preceding them.

Financial restructuring and depositors’ rights

Another critical issue raised was the “Financial Gap Law” approved by the Council of Ministers and awaiting parliamentary debate.

Klimos described this law as central to addressing the loss of depositors’ funds following Lebanon’s financial collapse. While acknowledging the necessity of such legislation, he expressed concern that the draft law fails to offer a clear and fair solution that protects depositors’ rights.

Drawing from his experience in the Bar Association, he highlighted the vulnerability of professional pension and mutual funds, which support lawyers, engineers, doctors and other professionals (more than 1 million people when families are included). Klimos warned that neglecting these funds would effectively destroy Lebanon’s middle class, placing the responsibility squarely on Parliament to amend the law and ensure justice for depositors.

The rent law: A legal vacuum

Klimos described the rent law as one of the most chaotic pieces of legislation currently in force. According to him, the law fails both landlords and tenants, creating confusion and insecurity for both parties.

He criticized Parliament for repeatedly delaying or inconsistently applying the law, leaving citizens trapped in legal uncertainty. He stressed that Parliament’s duty is to enact a clear, modern rent law and allow the judiciary to apply it consistently. Without such clarity, social and legal instability will persist.

Optional civil marriage and personal status law

Among the laws that have not even been seriously proposed, Klimos identified optional civil marriage as one of the most urgent. He pointed out the contradiction in allowing Lebanese citizens to marry civilly abroad (such as in neighboring Cyprus) and register those marriages in Lebanon while prohibiting civil marriage within the country.

Klimos strongly supports the introduction of an optional civil marriage and personal status law, stressing that it should be voluntary, not mandatory (given the sensitivity of the issue and the objections raised regarding this matter).

In his view, political fear, particularly during election periods, has prevented Parliament from addressing this issue despite its societal importance.

A modern regulatory law for political parties

The interview also addressed the absence of a modern law regulating political parties.

Klimos noted that Lebanon still relies on an Ottoman-era associations law dating back to 1909. He argued that this outdated framework fails to ensure internal democracy, transparency and leadership rotation within parties.

A modern political parties law, he said, would oblige parties to adopt democratic practices and prevent the monopolization of leadership, thus strengthening political life and accountability.

In conclusion, the interview paints a stark picture of Lebanon’s legislative reality: a Parliament constrained by political interests, procedural obstacles and a shortage of qualified lawmakers. Through his analysis of key laws (from the electoral system and financial restructuring to judicial independence and civil marriage), Elie Klimos underscored the urgent need for serious, professional and transparent legislation. Ultimately, he argued that Lebanon’s recovery depends not only on passing laws, but on restoring Parliament’s role as a true legislative authority capable of addressing the country’s deep-rooted crises.