Hezbollah MP defends parliamentary session, renews calls for dialogue

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah defended Monday a legislative session boycotted by 29 opposition and independent MPs.

"Without this session, public sectors employees couldn't have received their salaries," Fadlallah said.

Parliament had approved to open a line of credit to fund public sector salaries but many MPs boycotted the session, as they considered that "parliament cannot legislate amid a presidential void," and that Lebanon's constitution says MPs can only convene to elect a president in open-ended sessions.

LF leader Samir Geagea criticized the session and said the MPs are using the public sector salaries file as a pretext for parliament to convene.

"The government could have approved the needed funds," Geagea said, adding that "the real solution to our problems" is to elect a president.

Fadlallah said that Hezbollah wants a president to be elected as soon as possible, but he added that "a serious dialogue is needed."