Lebanon sets date of parliamentary elections for May 6

BEIRUT – Lebanon has set the date for the country’s first parliamentary elections in nine years, scheduling the vote for May 6.

The official National News Agency reported on Friday that Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk signed a decree setting the date. For the first time, Lebanese nationals living overseas will be able to cast ballots in early voting.

Lebanon’s parliament has postponed elections several times over security reasons. Its term was supposed to expire in 2013 but lawmakers approved several extensions since then, the last one in June for another 11 months.

Activists accuse politicians of delaying the vote for political reasons.

The vote is expected to be a major test for both Prime Minister Saad Hariri and the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group.

Hariri resigned last month but later revoked his resignation.