Parliament Extends Legislative Term to Review 2027 Budget

The Parliament has granted an additional one-month extension to complete discussions on the 2027 budget draft and finalize it before the start of the next year, following the expected arrival of the draft to the council after being presented to the Cabinet and voted on. This extension comes after the completion of the ministerial cabinet formation, providing both the executive and legislative authorities with a broader opportunity to finalize upcoming phase files, primarily the budget which includes projects and job grades. MP Jassim Al-Alawi explained that the extension was granted to allow sufficient time to discuss the budget within the council, noting that this month represents the final period of the legislative term and is necessary to complete the budget and present visions and agreements related to it. He added that the 2027 budget differs from previous ones, expressing hope that it will contribute to addressing several economic challenges facing the country. He also clarified that the budget is not limited to operational expenses but includes important projects expected to be incorporated, affirming that the council will work during the extension period to mature the budget and proceed with its procedures before the legislative term ends. Meanwhile, MP Amer Nasrallah stated that the legislative term has been extended and the recess postponed for 30 days, anticipating the budget draft to reach the council this month after being presented to the Cabinet and voted on. He pointed out the Prime Minister's approval to include 120,000 job grades in the budget, to be distributed among provinces according to population ratios. He added that the parliamentary financial committee has proposed increasing the number to 200,000 job grades to cover wider segments, aiming to provide more opportunities for graduates, especially those with older degrees and higher qualifications, in addition to those working under census contracts and other graduate groups.