Summary
By midnight Monday, at least 77 electoral lists were registered with the Interior Ministry before the deadline expired for parties and blocs to register their tickets for Lebanon's parliamentary elections that will decide the country's political future for the next four years".
It promises to be a fierce contest between rival and allied political parties that face a challenge from independent and civil society candidates jostling for a few choice seats in the next 128-member legislature.
Earlier this month, a total number of 976 candidates had registered for the elections, including 111 women, marking a significant increase in female registration since the last elections in 2009, when only 12 female candidates registered.
Speaker Nabih Berri Monday called for a two-day parliamentary session this week to discuss and ratify the 2018 draft state budget.
Hariri said last week that Lebanon was seeking $6 billion for a five-year infrastructure program at the conference.
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