Berri Calls for 3-Day Parliamentary Session Next Week

Speaker Nabih Berri called on Wednesday for a three-day parliamentary session next week to tackle a jammed agenda.

The three-day session will also address the new wage scale “if the joint parliamentary committees wrapped up its discussions on the matter ahead of the general assembly meeting.

The sessions are expected to kick off on Tuesday, April 1.

“Berri addressed ways to activate the parliamentary work,” MPs quoted the speaker as saying during his weekly meeting Wednesday's weekly meeting with lawmakers.

The lawmakers said that Berri will call for several sessions “before the end of President (Michel) Suleiman's tenure.”

The speaker “is keen to hold a successful session to elect a new president,” noting that the three-member committee he formed to carry out consultations with political parties over the presidential polls kicked off its work.

President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should start meeting March 25 to elect a new head of state.

No one has yet officially announced his candidacy for the top post. But there are several contenders from the rival March 8 and 14 camps.

Berri also discussed with lawmakers the cabinet's confidence session, expressing hope that the cabinet “would be able to resolve the vital and delicate matter, including the security situation.”

Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government garnered the support of 96 out of 101 lawmakers who attended last week's parliamentary vote.

Salam's 24-person Cabinet includes members of March 8 and 14 coalitions. Following more than 10 months of political wrangling, Salam cobbled together his government in February after bridging a political divide among the political forces.