Two senior Republicans are urging US President Donald Trump to prepare sanctions against Lebanon’s powerful parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri, warning that he is poised to block steps towards long-scheduled parliamentary elections next spring.
In a letter to Mr Trump, Representatives Darin LaHood and Darrell Issa of California said they were “watching closely the implementation of each step” and that the vote “will be pivotal to ensure that Hezbollah and its remaining political allies and aligned parties do not gain any additional ground".
They cautioned that “corrupt political elites and aligned parties are intent on blocking democratic rights and progress", and called on the administration to use “all tools available”, including reviewing and freezing US-based or dollar-denominated assets for any Lebanese officials who impede electoral reforms.
Lebanon is expected to elect a new 128-member parliament in May 2026, but political factions remain locked in a dispute over which electoral law should govern the vote.
One of the most contentious issues involves whether members of the vast Lebanese diaspora can vote for all seats, as they did in 2018 and 2022, or whether they should be restricted to electing only six representatives – one for each continent – as a previous law had envisioned.
Expatriates have consistently cast ballots in large numbers for candidates opposed to Hezbollah and its Iran-backed allies.
Mr Berri, leader of the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement and long-time Speaker, has pressed for reinstating the six-seat cap and for blocking full diaspora participation.
“Speaker Nabih Berri is once again standing in the way of progress,” Mr LaHood and Mr Issa wrote, calling any attempt to delay or prevent an open parliamentary session on election reform “unacceptable” and “a full alignment with Hezbollah and its political allies".
“This is truly a time for action,” they said. “Iran’s influence on Lebanon is weakened. Hezbollah continues to lose leaders, foot soldiers, infrastructure, financing and influence.”
The letter reflects growing concern in Washington that Lebanon’s political establishment may again postpone elections or alter the rules in ways that would shore up Hezbollah’s grip on the state.
