Berri Proposes at National Dialogue Reducing Parliament Term, Holding Elections
Speaker Nabih Berri proposed before the national dialogue participants on Wednesday a package deal aimed at ending the political deadlock in Lebanon, media reports said.
The deal calls for shortening the term of the current parliament and staging the parliamentary polls and later the presidential ones.
The parliamentary elections would be held based on the proportionality electoral law.
Should the political powers fail to agree on this law, then the 1960 one would be used. This law was adopted in the 2009 elections.
The package deal also calls for electing a new parliament speaker and bureau and forming a national unity government.
Media reports said that the Mustaqbal bloc has repeatedly rejected the idea of holding the parliamentary polls before the presidential ones, explaining that once a new parliament is elected cabinet would automatically resign.
Given the absence of a president, a new government will not be able to be formed and therefore Lebanon will be plunged in further vacuum, reasoned the bloc.
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari, Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun, Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat, Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan were all absent from Wednesday's dialogue talks.
Following the meeting, former Minister Ghazi Aridi, who was representing Jumblat at the talks, said: “We thank Berri for his efforts to end the political impasse.”
He deemed the suggestion as “very realistic,” noting the ongoing failure of the political forces to elect a president and agree on an electoral law.
“In the coming months, we may be faced with more failure to resolve these issues. What will happen once the term of parliament ends? Will we extend the term for a third time?” he asked.
“We oppose the extension of the term and therefore back Berri's proposal to shorten the term of parliament and stage the polls, even if it means the adoption of the 1960 law,” he declared.
Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon echoed this stance, remarking: “The election of a president is a priority, but given our failures in the past, we should be open to new proposals, such as the one made by Berri.”
The next round of the national dialogue has been scheduled for June 21.
LBCI television said that three days of talks will be held among the dialogue participants in order to address Berri's plan and possibly reach an agreement on it.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014. Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps have thwarted the polls.
Parliament has extended its term twice, once in 2013 and another in 2014, due to officials' failure to agree on a new electoral law.
Its term ends in June 2017.
M.T.
D.A.
almost 9 years
Berri told the meeting, "Why don't we just send the Shias back where they came from?"
When reminded he was a Shia himself, Berri replied, "Oh, I didn't mean me."
Berri said, "Article 24 which assigns half of Parliament's seats to the disappearing Christian minority is all that stands between Lebanon and outright democracy."
almost 9 years
How did you decide that the Shias are the majority? Do you have a census proving that?
almost 9 years
You men HA arms which is more than what the State Army has, trampling on the constitution, and existing as a State within a State does not stand between Lebanon and Outright Democracy ya Irani inta
almost 9 years
But where are pretend defenders of the Christian rights, the Aounists, to answer CR's trespass? Are they worshipping at the altar of the Khamenei?
Exactly, why do the shias need a Christian president anymore! The country is running just the way they want: subservient military and security agencies, bankrupt economy, Suleimani Irani comes and goes as he wishes; crime and theft at an all time high; free passage for their sectarian militia in and out of Lebanon; persecution of anyone opposed to their agenda, etc etc.