Beirut: House Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday adjourned the parliamentary session on the draft budget until 5:00 p.m. to hear the government’s response, with 65 MPs having taken the floor.
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, MP Tony Frangieh expressed that the budget manages the crisis rather than confronts it, emphasizing that recovery requires a financial audit, real figures, and restoring trust in the banking sector. MP Nada Boustani highlighted the absence of clear plans, particularly in the energy sector, and questioned the limited electricity supply despite higher tariffs.
MP Hussein Hajj Hassan noted that the 2026 budget lacks an economic vision and increases taxes without altering fiscal policy, advocating for national unity amid continued Israeli violations. Meanwhile, MP Ghassan Hasbani observed relative fiscal restraint but pointed out the absence of structural reform without a proper final accounts law.
MP Elias Hankach described the budget as superficial and burdensome on the formal private sector, prompting Berri to respond that illegal weapons include Israeli arms. Other MPs, including Pierre Bou Assi, Ahmad Al-Khair, Jihad Al-Samad, and Marc Daou, called for fair taxation, wage adjustments, social protection, and genuine reforms, while reaffirming the need to hold elections on time.