LACC blasts Berri's obstruction of amendment to restore full voting rights to Lebanese expatriates

Ya Libnan

7 days ago

The
Lebanese American Coordinating Committee
(LACC
) issued the following statement in which it condemned Speaker Nabih Berri's obstruction in obstructing a majority-backed amendment to restore full voting rights to Lebanese expatriates.
'
Washington, D.C., July 3, 2025 – The Lebanese American Coordinating Committee (LACC) strongly condemns the actions of Speaker Nabih Berri in obstructing a majority-backed amendment to restore full voting rights to Lebanese expatriates. By refusing to place on the plenary agenda an urgent proposal signed by over half of Lebanon's parliament, Berri has once again demonstrated his undemocratic behavior and willingness to undermine legislative norms in order to preserve Hezbollah's undue influence over the Lebanese state.
This maneuver to suppress the diaspora's voice exemplifies the broader pattern of foreign interference, corruption, and institutional decay that have driven Lebanon to collapse. Limiting expatriate voting to six ambiguous 'continental' seats effectively silences hundreds of thousands of Lebanese abroad – communities that have consistently stood for reform, sovereignty, and against Hezbollah's agenda.
The LACC underscores the U.S. administration's clear and consistent position:
any American assistance to Lebanon must be contingent on concrete political and institutional reforms and the full restoration of Lebanese sovereignty.
These include:
We call on Lebanese authorities to implement all of these essential reforms without delay. More specifically, we call on Speaker Berri to immediately allow the urgent amendment to repeal Article 112 to come to a vote in Parliament, in accordance with the will of the majority and the rules of procedure. Speaker Berri must facilitate the work of Parliament, not obstruct it.
Lebanon's path to recovery, sovereignty, and partnership with the international community runs through these reforms. The Lebanese people, at home and abroad, deserve nothing less.
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If you are visiting Lebanon this summer make sure to renew your Lebanese passport. You will need a valid passport or the Lebanese ID to vote in May 2026 parliamentary elections.
Ya Libnan reported on July 3 that MP George Adwan expressed his shock at Berri's failure to include an urgent bill regarding an amendment to expatriate voting on the legislative session's agenda, noting that this is the first time in 30 years that a similar bill has been submitted without being included.
He continued, 'We asked Speaker Nabih Berri at the beginning of the session why the bill was not included, and we emphasized that non-resident voting is a national issue par excellence.' He explained that more than half of MPs from various blocs supported the proposal, and all the conditions were favorable for its inclusion on the agenda.
He added, 'We want to expedite legislation, not obstruct it, especially since preparing for the elections requires respecting legal deadlines. If this amendment is not passed today, we will face problems both domestically and internationally.'
According to Lebanese media reports , abolishing expatriate voting is preferred by the Shiite-duo of Amal and Hezbollah , even though there are hundreds of thousands of Shiite expatriates throughout the world
Berri
, 87, who has held the position for over 3 decades ( since 1992), was re-elected in 2022 for his seventh term. There are many MPs who are now calling for a new Speaker in Lebanon. His obstruction of the draft law governing the expats could expedite the vote to replace him, according to Lebanese media reports .
LACC