Lebanon’s President Sets May 15 for Legislative Election

In the midst of a critical economic crisis, and an ongoing political crisis, Lebanon will head to a legislative election next year. Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun signed a presidential decree approving the election for May 15, 2022, two months later than the current parliament had wanted it to take place and two weeks after the end of the holy Muslim observance of Ramadan. Lebanese citizens living abroad will be able to vote on May 6 and May 8, according to the president’s office. The current Cabinet, led by Najib Mikati, who assumed office in September, has not met since mid-October, when it approved new elections for March 27.  The previous prime minister, Hassan Diab, resigned more than a year earlier, in the wake of the Beirut Port explosion and the crippling financial crisis. More than 80 percent of the country is now reported to be living in poverty.