On Thursday, May 15, MPs gathered at Nejmeh Square for a legislative session with an exceptionally heavy agenda: 83 draft laws were submitted for review, underscoring a chronic governance crisis oscillating between institutional paralysis and reform efforts. Only one law was approved by the end of the session: an amended law criminalizing celebratory gunfire, which includes a provision doubling the penalties for offenders.
The Parliament has passed an urgent draft law amending Law No. 71 of October 27, 2016, which criminalizes celebratory gunfire. The amendment, introduced by MP Ashraf Beydoun, doubles the penalties for offenders.
Another urgent proposal was approved, granting retroactive tax and fee exemptions—starting from October 8, 2023—to individuals and residences directly affected by Israeli attacks. The law also includes exemptions for the heirs of Lebanese victims killed or who may be killed in the ongoing hostilities.
In contrast, the urgency status was lifted for several other laws, including one seeking to amend Law No. 131/2019 on the protection of Beirut’s pine forest (Horsh Beirut), and another related to the 1986 law prohibiting the sale of Lebanon’s gold reserves without parliamentary approval. Other de-prioritized proposals included MP Fouad Makhzoumi’s law to convert the Costa Brava landfill into a solar plant serving Beirut Airport, and one restoring key powers to the president and council of the Lebanese University.
Tensions rose during the session following the adoption of the exemption law, with the Lebanese Forces (LF) bloc opposing its limited scope. They criticized the exclusion of sectors like tourism and hospitality, which have also suffered under the conflict, and called for broader compensation measures.
What about the other draft laws that were set to be reviewed?
Economic Reforms and Fiscal Adjustments
One of the most sensitive proposals seeks to amend Law No. 42/1986, which prohibits the sale of Lebanon’s gold reserves held by the central bank (BDL). The amendment aims to further restrict any form of sale—direct or indirect—unless authorized by parliamentary legislation. This comes amid a depletion of reserves due to the ongoing financial crisis.
Economic items on the agenda also include several bills addressing pension reform, particularly in the public, military and education sectors. Proposals include raising the retirement age and revising the pension structure for Lebanese University professors. Another draft law aims to incorporate fixed allowances into the pension base for military retirees, whose benefits have been drastically eroded by the currency collapse.
At the same time, the agenda included items aimed at safeguarding the economic rights of specific populations. Notably, a bill to protect bank deposits drew significant attention, as it has been a recurring demand since the onset of the economic crisis. Another proposal grants tax exemptions to residents of southern Lebanon directly affected by Israeli attacks since the onset of the war between Hezbollah and Israel, as well as to the families of those killed in the bombardments.
Another bill proposes waiving water, electricity and penalty fees for these southern localities in recognition of the war’s toll.
Justice and Legal Sovereignty
A highly charged set of proposals concerns the Beirut port blast investigation. Among them: a bill to lift parliamentary and administrative immunities related to the case—an effort to remove legal obstacles hampering judicial proceedings. Lawmakers also submitted texts to facilitate prosecutions and to honor the victims, including through the official recognition of the grain silos site as a memorial.
The session also addresses major overhauls in Lebanon’s legal system. Some proposals seek to amend core articles of the Penal Code and civil and criminal procedure codes. While framed as reforms, observers warn of potential political motives behind attempts to reshape the judiciary.
In the international arena, one draft law proposes Lebanon's accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the recognition of its jurisdiction over Israeli crimes committed on Lebanese territory since July 1, 2002. Although symbolically powerful, such an accession would raise the question of how to reconcile national judicial sovereignty with regional power relations.
Syrian Refugees: A Divisive Debate
The Syrian refugee crisis is featured prominently, with two urgent draft laws: one barring any form of integration for Syrian refugees, and another calling for the deportation of those residing illegally. These proposals rekindle the explosive debate surrounding the Syrian presence in Lebanon, at a time when community tensions and the economic crisis are fueling hostile rhetoric.
In addition, a controversial bill proposes prohibiting landlords from renting apartments to anyone residing in Lebanon without proof of identity or legal entry, at risk of fines and penalties. If adopted, this law would increase pressure on Syrian refugees and others without legal status.
Housing, Rent and Civil Responsibility
Faced with the increasing number of collapses of old buildings, and given the rising tensions on the rental market, several texts have attempted to redefine the legal responsibilities of landlords subject to exceptional rent laws.
One bill would exempt landlords from civil and criminal responsibility, while another clarifies how rent increases should be calculated under a 2017 law.
Also under review: a draft law assigning liability for damages caused by building collapses—an urgent issue following the Tayouneh building collapse in Beirut. On April 22, a building collapsed in Beirut’s southern suburbs due to structural cracks attributed to repeated Israeli airstrikes, though no injuries were reported. According to Lebanon’s real estate association, between 16,000 and 18,000 buildings in Beirut have sustained damage since the 2020 port explosion. This figure does not account for housing affected by the 2024 northern Lebanon earthquake, which struck already fragile and often unregulated structures.
Education and Public Sector
The education sector, already in dire condition, saw the emergence of two striking proposals. One aimed to cancel the official brevet exams, while the other, more structural, sought to re-establish the authority of the President and Council of the Lebanese University (LU), in a context of weakening university autonomy and State disengagement.
Several proposals also deal with public sector reforms, including the retirement age, access to competitive examinations and the status of Lebanese University teachers. These texts often reflect the social pressures of professional bodies exsanguine after years of wage collapse.
Security and Defense
Several texts concern the security forces and the army. One of them provides for the automatic promotion of non-commissioned officers in the Internal Security Forces, probably in response to an internal motivation crisis. Other laws seek to harmonize or strengthen the rights of retirees from the armed forces, public security and intelligence services.
In the field of public order, a project to strengthen the law criminalizing celebratory gunfire has been put forward, while another has been proposed to outright ban electronic gambling, deemed uncontrolled and harmful.
Environment and Energy
On a more consensual note, a bill to transform the former Costa Brava landfill site into a solar power plant to supply Beirut International Airport (AIB) illustrates an attempt at energy transition in a country where electric power remains a scarce commodity.
All in all, the May 15 session reveals more about the country's fragmentation than its ability to produce systemic solutions. Urgent laws continue to accumulate in a Parliament lacking a coherent political roadmap. While the country missed a key opportunity to reposition itself at the Riyadh summit, its legislature remains bogged down in the consequences of a multi-layered crisis—economic, judicial, social and security-related—that demands far more than a stack of draft laws.
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