The 2026 Budget Passage Day

The morning was characterized by a focus on the final day of parliamentary debates over the 2026 budget. Editors highlighted the friction between Speaker Nabih Berri and sovereignist MPs, specifically regarding the legitimacy and role of Hezbollah’s arsenal following Naim Qassem’s recent non-neutrality declaration. Pro-resistance media emphasized Berri’s defense of the 'resistance weapon' against accusations of domestic political interference. By early afternoon, the editorial focus shifted to the streets and public sector instability. Media outlets tracked the escalating tension between Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government and public school teachers over wage stagnation, alongside protests by retired military personnel who besieged the parliament building. This social unrest was framed against the signing of the decree setting May 3rd as the date for legislative elections. In the evening, headlines were dominated by the final vote in the Chamber of Deputies. Editors reported the passage of the 2026 budget with 59 votes in favor, despite widespread criticism from opposition figures who labeled it a plan devoid of reform. The day concluded with a return to regional anxiety as outlets analyzed Iranian and Hezbollah responses to the European Union’s designation of the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization and President Trump’s intensifying military threats.