Report: Al-Rahi Backs off from Support for Nonpartisan Cabinet after Berri Warning
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has backed off from his support for a so-called neutral government over fears that further divisions among the rival parties could affect the presidential elections, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted sources as saying.
The March 8 alliance has been calling for a government in which it would get nine ministers along with March 14 and centrists six.
But the March 14 camp has been sticking to a nonpartisan cabinet.
Reports said lately that the deep divisions pushed Premier-designate Tammam Salam and President Michel Suleiman to agree on a fait accompli neutral government.
Al-Rahi's new stance came after Speaker Nabih Berri warned on several occasions that a neutral cabinet would have negative repercussions on the presidential elections.
The Constituent sets March 25 as the deadline for parliament to start holding sessions to election a new president, which according to the division of power in Lebanon goes to a Maronite.
Suleiman's six-year term ends in May.
Berri has said that a de facto cabinet would worsen differences between the rival parties and complicate the presidential election process by preventing consensus on a new head of state.
“What would such a government do in a month and ten days at the end of a president's term?” Berri asked earlier this week in reference to the expiry of Suleiman's mandate in May.
Such a warning prompted al-Rahi to warn Suleiman to procrastinate on issuing decrees on a fait accompli government over fears on the top post reserved for Maronites, al-Hayat said.
05 January 2014, 10:15
124
So to be clear, march 8: if u don't give us 9 ministers (veto power) and representation of hezbollah (while he will jeep fighting in syria and protecting convicted members by STL and eanted members from lebanese judiciary;butross harb assassination attempt.... etc etc etc..) we wont permit presidential elections to happen...
But if the give them 9 ministers (veto power) what president will we get?
We would be back at "national unity gov" like before miquati, gov that should act like hezbo want or else they will bring it down like 7 ayuar and black shirts...
And now hezbo are in syria and started to bring shit hone so they are also asking 14 march to cover up their involvelvement there and forget baabda declaration having in mind that the resistamce army people stance should stay in gov policy....
05 January 2014, 10:15
63
It would be the kast conscession from march 14 giving all the country cards to hezbo...
Please no more conscessions donnot fall in the trap; ir like we want or destructions of the entire lebanese system (or what remains of it) this is defenitivy terrorism... Donnot surender 14 march or u will be no better than hezbos, and last what would be the use to vote for u next parlmemntary vote if u only do conscessions?...
05 January 2014, 10:39
63
He should hv listened to hezbollah only like we all should or else.... Yes we know hezbos figure have been telling us this for months(years) now...
Well we still hope they wont listen to hezbos and procede with a neutral cabinet, let them take it by force (7ayyar, black shirts...) and with no resistance (we wont act like them) but in no case march 14 should give political cover to those fanatiics...
Don't be sad mckinl u get ur plus one anyway... :)
05 January 2014, 10:46
33
The patriarch like all other religious leaders should deal with religious affairs. Politic is none of their business
05 January 2014, 10:47
30
Hello imagine and mckinl
why do I sense that we are a way off from seeing a cabinet???
05 January 2014, 11:38
103
A patriarch who changes his mind everyday is no good patriarch. he's failing us. instead of listening to a christian president, he listens to a shiite house speaker, what does this mean?
05 January 2014, 11:44
31
smarty
That means we are in deep shit. I think the patriarch better stick to religious affairs. Politics is none of his business. not his forte anyway
05 January 2014, 12:33
31
One again, u r totaly right.. All relgios figure should keep their effort to saving soals and live politics to politicians, or if not held accountable as other politicians, and that would be a dilema...
Btw hassan nasdralah: soldier? Religious man? Politician?...
And thx for my plus one coolmec :)
05 January 2014, 12:37
21
Hello imagine
You said above: "held accountable as other politicians"
are they?? lol
05 January 2014, 13:03
21
imagine
ooops sorry I missed that
plus one for you my friend :=)
05 January 2014, 13:25
00
I don't think that a report taken from another report taken from "a source" is really scientific journalism and i would advise everyone on this forum to relax before going into deep analysis of the Patriarch's deepest psyche. I think half of Lebanon's problem would be solved if people were less excitable about news, talkshows and political statements.
05 January 2014, 13:44
22
the fact
I can hardly see Sleiman becoming a dictator or any other political leader becoming one. it simply cannot work in lebanon
05 January 2014, 18:22
61
The Maronite Batrak being pushed around by Berri...pity Lebanon and especially the Christians who have had their power destroyed by Judas Aoun.
05 January 2014, 20:47
42
stupid M8ers... when the patriarch says things against them he is paid by M14... when things that pleases them, he is independant! LOL
how twisted their minds are, poor things...
