Berri Shies Away from Responding to March 14 Calls on Changing Quorum
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri has described Lebanon as a democracy but did not elaborate on calls made by March 14 MPs to reduce the quorum required to hold the presidential elections.
Berri said in remarks published in several local dailies on Wednesday that Lebanon is a “democratic state.”
However, he stopped short of announcing his support for a statement made by March 14 MPs following a visit to Bkirki that the quorum of parliamentary sessions aimed at electing a president should be reduced from two-thirds to half plus one.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi encouraged the lawmakers to discuss the issue with the speaker. But Berri said: “No comment.”
Later Wednesday, MPs quoted the speaker as saying as saying that the two-thirds majority had always been adopted during the election of a president. He did not elaborate.
In their statement, the March 14 lawmakers stated that they consider parliament in a constant state of session as stipulated by the constitution.
“We will exert efforts to ensure that MPs are present at the parliament on a daily basis to elect a president,” they said.
Asked about the issue, Berri said: “I would like to remind everyone that since March 24, 2014, the parliament is in session to elect a president.”
Lebanon has been suffering from a presidential vacuum since that date, the day the constitutional deadline began for the election of a head of state.
President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended on May 25 last year, the longest time the post has been vacant since the devastating civil war ended in 1990.
The next session is set for June 3. But it is likely to meet the fate of around 23 other sessions during which the majority of the March 8 alliance's MPs boycotted the polls.
Berri reiterated that he is ready to call for a session anytime before June 3 if the rival parties agreed on a candidate.
G.K.
H.K.
27 May 2015, 10:08
1111
Mr du Barry. Your quorum of 2/3 AFTER the FIRST meeting is wrong. You know it...but you don't dare....
27 May 2015, 11:25
109
After the first round, the quorum is half plus one but Berri is only a tool of the iranian regime.
27 May 2015, 13:38
99
Mr. Berri, no matter how many skins you may want to wear, bottom line is, when nothing is left but to confront the truth, your real skin always appears. You may have gesticulated, wiggled done all you can to make people believe that you're impartial, but now that the truth beholds you starkly in the face, you've shown that you're nothing but a pawn in the hands of many masters. Truth is, it's high time you go and be replaced by a new face, a lot more connected with our realities.
27 May 2015, 13:48
78
I posted this post some 8 minutes ago, yet already got 3 downs, in fact like suddenly has happened to every M14 poster here, just to show the sleeping mods what is going on with our yellow friends on this forum. I suspect someone has a lot more than one alias and I am not wrong either.
27 May 2015, 14:01
77
I disagree FT, M14 posters are being downed a lot more and this simply shows foul play, end of story. In the simplest of terms, some M8 posters here are using many other profiles and even when banned will simply revert to another account and keep downing our posts. Though we may not bother much, but it just shows the poor "modding" of this forum, especially just before and during weekends. Then let us not forget the direct insults, mockery and sheer derogation we received so often simply for voicing our minds. M8 posters are a lot more abusive on this forum and at least speaking for myself, it just goes to show the M8 low level of tolerance for free speech. You may wish to deny, you're free, but this is the truth and there are many things we too know.
27 May 2015, 14:24
77
FT, again, you don't seem to focus on what I said, I am free to criticize any political figure, any, but in total contrast to you and your fellow M8 posters, I do not focus on the person of the poster. Look FT, I am sure you've seen me in the past how I can react when attacked unfairly and insulted, I can keep the rythm for days non-stop, so you're no stranger here. Then you of all, you seem to forget all too readily just how many times and times you've insulted leaders of the M14 side. You've called them names, insulted them, but by and large we kept it clean, can you deny? Sure, I do call Aoun like Claoun, Al Capaoun, clown, deranged, mad, but this is it, then I am only describing a man whom befits such. But have I for instance ever called you anything but FT? At least make the effort to emulate me.
27 May 2015, 20:03
65
FT, this is exactly what I was alluding to and I quote from you "and you've just joined them. a sure sign of political bankruptcy" unquote. When you elevate your standards, then you will find me ready to chat you again. By the way, I simply joined those who oppose most of M8 views, it's not corruption, it's the beginning of resistance, the real one.
27 May 2015, 14:38
77
Boutros, what I know of this majnoun is that he never made sense. Back in 1989 when he was "attacking" the Syrians and taking weapons from Saddam Hussein, who at the time was engaged in Desert Storm against the US and the coalition, every single political analyst could see NO sense whatsoever of it. Syria which became part of the US coalition against Saddam quickly got the US blessings, and the rest we all know. Today we know why Majnoun did what he did, it's all pure sabotage and he hasn't kicked the habit till now, finally, being his true self nut-case, his calculations are never right, just like when he said that the elections be made from the street, even that he will lose and lose badly. Call him majnoun or majdoub, the man loves money and power.
