Lebanon’s Opposition Pushes for Early Elections

 A demonstrator waves a flag on the Martyrs' Monument at Martyrs' Square ahead of a protest following Tuesday's blast, in Beirut, Lebanon August 9, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
A demonstrator waves a flag on the Martyrs' Monument at Martyrs' Square ahead of a protest following Tuesday's blast, in Beirut, Lebanon August 9, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
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Lebanon’s Opposition Pushes for Early Elections

 A demonstrator waves a flag on the Martyrs' Monument at Martyrs' Square ahead of a protest following Tuesday's blast, in Beirut, Lebanon August 9, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
A demonstrator waves a flag on the Martyrs' Monument at Martyrs' Square ahead of a protest following Tuesday's blast, in Beirut, Lebanon August 9, 2020. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Lebanon’s opposition forces are holding intensive discussions to push for shortening the parliament’s term, organizing early parliamentary elections and forming a neutral government.

In this context, a delegation from the Democratic Gathering bloc, headed by MP Taymour Jumblatt, conducted visits on Monday to Speaker Nabih Berri and the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea. The delegation also reportedly communicated with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

In remarks following the meeting, Geagea said: “We are hours away from a major step, and the government’s resignation will not change anything.” He also called for “early parliamentary elections based on the current electoral law.”

“We listened to the (Democratic Gathering) delegation, and things are moving at a rapid pace; we will hear good news in the next few hours on these bad days,” Geagea added.

For his part, MP Akram Chehayeb called for early parliamentary elections to bring about a new authority in the country.

“The country is kidnapped and has become a hostage of the regional axes… It can no longer bear the consequences of an authority that is linked to a specific axis,” he said following the meeting with the LF leader.

Chehayeb noted that the delegation agreed with Geagea on many points, adding that they would communicate with Hariri in the hope of reaching a position that would pave the way for early parliamentary elections.

During the meeting with Berri, Taymour Jumblatt called for an international investigation to uncover the circumstances of the Beirut explosion.

“We do not trust the local investigation. We demand the end of the government of death and starvation and the formation of a neutral cabinet. We also demand that the parliament’s term be shortened and a non-sectarian law be adopted to allow the youth in the squares to reach parliament,” he stated.

“After decades of wars, death and devastation, the Lebanese have the right to live in dignity and safety in their country,” Jumblatt concluded.



Iraq Holds Kurdish Government Legally Responsible for Continued Oil Smuggling

Kurdish protesters block the road in front of trucks carrying oil in the Arbat area near Sulaymaniyah, Iraq February 23, 2025. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed/File Photo
Kurdish protesters block the road in front of trucks carrying oil in the Arbat area near Sulaymaniyah, Iraq February 23, 2025. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed/File Photo
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Iraq Holds Kurdish Government Legally Responsible for Continued Oil Smuggling

Kurdish protesters block the road in front of trucks carrying oil in the Arbat area near Sulaymaniyah, Iraq February 23, 2025. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed/File Photo
Kurdish protesters block the road in front of trucks carrying oil in the Arbat area near Sulaymaniyah, Iraq February 23, 2025. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed/File Photo

Iraq's oil ministry said on Thursday it holds the Kurdish regional government (KRG) legally responsible for the continued smuggling of oil from the Kurdish region outside the country.

The ministry reserves the right to take all legal measures in the matter, it added.

Control over oil and gas has long been a source of tension between Baghdad and Erbil, Reuters reported.

Iraq is under pressure from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut output to compensate for having produced more than its agreed volume. OPEC counts oil flows from Kurdistan as part of Iraq's quota.

In a ruling issued in 2022, Iraq's federal court deemed an oil and gas law regulating the oil industry in Iraqi Kurdistan unconstitutional and demanded that Kurdish authorities hand over their crude oil supplies.

The ministry said the KRG’s failure to comply with the law has hurt both oil exports and public revenue, forcing Baghdad to cut output from other fields to meet OPEC quotas.

The ministry added that it had urged the KRG to hand over crude produced from its fields, warning that failure to do so could result in significant financial losses and harm the country’s international reputation and oil commitments.

Negotiations to resume Kurdish oil exports via the Iraq-Türkiye oil pipeline, which once handled about 0.5% of global oil supply, have stalled over payment terms and contract details.