A number of Lebanese deputies issued the following statement:

"We, the nation’s deputies, the signatories of this appeal, announce the following:

1-We are keen on the legislative authority - of which we represent a part - especially since it has become the only legitimate authority, after the imbalance that afflicted the executive and judicial authorities, which entails many responsibilities and obligations on it, on top of which is the reconfiguration of the authority in a way that preserves the provisions of the Constitution, starting with the election of the President of the Republic and then the regularity of the constitutional institutions.

2- We affirm our absolute commitment to Articles 49, 74, and 75 of the Constitution, which explicitly stipulate that “ Should the Presidency become vacant through the death or resignation of the President or for any other cause, the Chamber shall meet immediately and by virtue of the law to elect a successor. If either Chamber happens to be dissolved at the time the vacancy occurs, the electoral bodies shall be convened without delay and, as soon as the elections have taken place, the Chamber meets by virtue of the law".

3-  In this context, we appreciate all the initiatives leading to the literal application of the Constitution’s articles, especially the initiative of MPs Melhem Khalaf and Najat Saliba, who have been holding a sit-in in the parliament since 24 days in a bid to achieve the above-mentioned goal.

4- In the same context, the article 75 of the Lebanese Constitution stipulates that “The Chamber meeting to elect the President of the Republic shall be considered an electoral body and not a legislative assembly. It must proceed immediately, without discussion of any other act, to elect the Head of the State.”

5- The work of constitutional institutions cannot be activated by prolonging the presidential vacuum nor by using unconstitutional mechanisms and means to organize it. Holding sessions for a resigned government and heading towards holding legislative sessions for the parliament amid presidential vacuum perpetuates a reality that is contrary to the Constitution and shows the possibility of running the State without the need for a president which undermines the spirit of the Taif Agreement and the fundamentals of our democratic system. The dangers of a vacant presidency in light of this dramatic and fatal collapse of the economic, social and humanitarian situation threaten the collapse of the Lebanese State, and the homeland!  People are waiting for us to elect a rescue president, and history is waiting for this exceptional event. We want to be in accordance with the great responsibilities that we bear, and in accordance with the trust that we carry, and in accordance with the hopes of the people who elected us!

6- For all of the above-mentioned reasons, convening a legislative session, whatever its reason may be, is a violation of the Constitution and the fundamentals of the Lebanese system. Any holding of session, in this regard, is not correct and is by virtue of non-existence and invalidity, and it cannot result in any effects; This establishes a constitutional obligation on the deputies not to participate in any “session” of this kind and not to recognize it, and any participation or recognition by them of it is a flagrant violation of the provisions of the Constitution. Therefore, we will not participate in any “legislative session” before electing a president and we will not recognize any of its laws and we will exercise any right granted to us by the Constitution! "

The signatories to this appeal are:

1- Charbel Massaad

2-Ghassan Skaff

3-Michel Daher

4-Ihab Mattar

5-Jean Talouzian

6- Najat Saliba

7-Paula Yaacoubian

8-Halima Kakor

9-Waddah Sadek

10-Mark Daou

11-Michel Doueihi

12- Melhem Khalaf

13-Elias Jeradeh

14- Yassin Yassin

15-Firas Hamdan

16-Ibrahim Mneimneh

17-Samy Gemayel

18- Elias Hankach

19-Selim Sayegh

20-Nadim Gemayel

21-Michel Mouawad

22-Fouad Makhzoumi

23-Achraf Rifi

24-Adib Abdel Masih

25- Sethrida Geagea

26-Ghassan Hassbani

27- George Okais

28- Fadi Karam

29- Said Al-Asmar

30- Nazih Matta

31- Kamil Chamoun

32- Ghayath Yazbeck

33- Razi El Hage

34- Melhem Riachi

35- Chawki Daccache

36- Antoine Habchi

37- Elias Estephan

38- Pierre Bou Assi

39-Ziad Hawat 

40- Elie Khoury

41-Ghada Ayyoub

42- Jihad Pakradouni

43-George Adwan

44-Nehmat Frem

45- Jamil Abboud

46- Abed Al Rahman Al Bizri