MPs approve funds for public sector salaries, opposition boycotts session

Parliament on Monday approved to open a line of credit to fund public sector salaries in a session boycotted by 29 opposition MPs.

The Free Patriotic Movement attended the session after it said in a statement that it would only attend urgent sessions, while 29 MPs, including independent MPs and MPs from the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb party and the Tajaddod bloc boycotted the session.

"Parliament cannot legislate amid a presidential void," the MPs said in a statement, as 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.