November 15, 2026
Despite the electoral alliance that brought together the “Lebanese Forces” and “Lebanese Phalange” parties under one list for the Beirut Bar Association elections, a clear political and financial division emerged between the two parties against the backdrop of the approval of the budget.
In this context, the head of the Bar Association, Imad Martinos, in a statement to the “Lebanon Debate” website, directed sharp criticism at the Kataeb Party’s performance in managing the budget battle, considering that its path is governed by personal and malicious calculations. While he acknowledged the captain’s knowledge of the Phalange’s keenness on standards of transparency, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the way they dealt with the file, attributing the position of the “Lebanese Forces” in support of approving the budget to its continued support for transparency and the role it played during the current union era.
On the financial level, Martinos confirmed that the union adhered to the promises it made last year requiring it to conduct a financial audit, explaining that this audit resulted in the adoption of a modern financial system that allows lawyers to view all the financial details of the union. Martinos called on union members to assume their responsibilities and vote “yes” for the financial statement, pointing out that it is now subject to approved international standards.
Regarding the electoral issue, Martinus expressed his reservations about approaching entitlement based on the logic of quotas and regulations, stressing that lawyers are able to evaluate the competencies of their fellow candidates themselves. He called for the selection of union council members based on the criteria of competence, professionalism, and moral conduct, citing his personal experience during which he was able to achieve outstanding electoral results without closed party alliances.
