President Michel Suleiman is expected to challenge parliament's decision to extend its mandate for 17 months, reported the daily An Nahar Saturday.

He believes that Friday's extension contradicts several constitutional articles, adding that the reasons for it are “not convincing and they do not justify the failure to stage the parliamentary elections,” it said.

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh on Friday said parliament extended its own term in order to “avoid civil war.”

“I believe that we have not extended parliament's term. We are extending to avoid civil war and to prevent turning the political dispute into a military conflict, God forbid,” Franjieh said after leaving the parliament session that extended the legislature's mandate until November 20, 2014.

A parliamentary session set to be held on Friday to vote for the extension of its mandate by around 17 months drew sharp criticism amid vows by President Michel Suleiman and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to challenge the decision.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper the United States and several European countries slammed the move through diplomatic channels.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel stressed on Thursday that his party will not allow any electoral law to be adopted at the expense of true partnership and the Christian representation, describing the 1960 law as a “heresy.”

“Unfortunately, some Christian powers are accomplices in marginalizing Christians and weakening their role in Lebanon,” Gemayel said.

Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan revealed on Thursday that the Free Patriotic Movement began drafting a request to challenge the extension of the parliament's mandate.

Kanaan, who is loyal to FPM leader MP Michel Aoun, pointed out in remarks published in As Safir newspaper that the challenge will be filed directly after the parliament endorses the extension.

President Michel Suleiman revealed on Wednesday that he will challenge extending the parliament's term “if it exceeded few months,” urging Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to refrain from involving Lebanon in Syria's war.

"The elections will be held by October and I will challenge the constitutionality of extending the parliament's term before the Constitutional Council,” the President stated in an interview on Future television.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati launched on Wednesday an initiative for President Michel Suleiman to oversee a dialogue meeting among the different factions without preconditions.

The initiative lies in asking “Suleiman to head a dialogue on condition that each party attends it, and expresses readiness to engage in the talks without any prior conditions and to make concessions,” Miqati announced during a press conference at the Grand Serail.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Wednesday that the time will come when assailants who attacked the army will be arrested.

He said: “The assailants behind these terrorist attacks will be arrested an punished sooner or later.”

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Wednesday that current security situation prevents the government from carrying out elections in calm conditions, which compels the extension of the parliament's mandate.

“The purpose behind extending the tenure of the parliament is to avert any negative repercussions,” Berri said in comments published in several local newspapers.

Arab Democratic Party chief Rifaat Ali Eid accused on Tuesday President Michel Suleiman of failing to properly tackle the situation in the northern city of Tripoli.

He said during a press conference: “The unrest in the city will spread throughout Lebanon if the situation is not addressed.”