Mustaqbal, AMAL Discuss Extension of Parliament's Term

A meeting was held last week between al-Mustaqbal Movement and AMAL representatives to discuss the controversial extension of parliament's term, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

According to the daily, the meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Speaker Nabih Berri's adviser, and Nader Hariri, head of ex-PM Saad Hariri's office.

The newspaper described the meeting as “positive” and aims at extending the legislative term with “the minimum damage.”

“Hariri... doesn't want to take the country into the unknown,” sources stressed.

The sources ruled out that the two officials discussed “any mechanism concerning the extension of the parliament's term or its period.”

Berri rejected the staging of parliamentary elections, if it was boycotted by a key party a day after Hariri stated that the presidential elections should be a priority for Lebanon, revealing that his movement will not participate in the parliamentary polls should they be held in the absence of a president.

Some political blocs have been demanding that the parliamentary elections, which are set for November, be held even if a head of state is not elected.

Others have been demanding that parliament's term be extended for a second time given the vacuum, poor security situation, and dispute over an electoral law.

Poor security and the disagreement over the law forced the extension of parliament's term last year.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the elections.

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