Berri Says Name of PM-Designate Depends on Cabinet Shape

Speaker Nabih Berri has said the name of the premier-designate hinges on the type and shape of the new government.

“If it is a cabinet (tasked) with holding the elections, then the prime minister-designate would have certain specifications,” Berri told several local dailies published Friday.

“If it is a salvation government, then specifications will be different,” he said, reiterating his support for such a cabinet.

“If during the binding parliamentary consultations the president asked me who will be my nominee, I will first ask him about the nature of the cabinet that will be formed,” Berri said.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati resigned last Friday over differences between cabinet members on the authority that would oversee the elections and the extension of the tenure of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi.

Reports have said that the caretaker PM was the favorite to head a salvation government that brings together both the March 8 and March 14 alliances.

Asked about the parliamentary elections, Berri reiterated that the 1960 law that considers the qada an electoral district and is based on the winner-takes-all system will not be adopted in the polls.

“The 1960 law is dead and the major sign of its death is the non-formation of the authority that will supervise the polls that is stipulated in article 11 of the law,” Berri said.

“This authority should be formed two months before the elections are held and remains in its mission six months after the polls,” he told the newspapers. “It has certain authorities and the electoral process can't take place without it.”

Given Miqati's resignation and differences between the rival camps on the new electoral draft-law, parliament's mandate will likely be extended.

Berri held talks on Thursday night with the political aide of the Hizbullah chief, Hussein Khalil. Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, who is Berri's aide, also attended the talks.

Their discussions focused on Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun's stance from the Orthodox proposal amid reports of a rift between him and the speaker.

Aoun wants Berri to call for a parliamentary session to approve the plan. But Berri favors holding a session to abolish the 1960 law over fears that an assembly with the Orthodox proposal on its agenda would be boycotted by the opposition al-Mustaqbal bloc, National Struggle Front MPs and March 14 independent Christian lawmakers.

The plan, which considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own lawmakers under a proportional representation system, has been approved by the joint parliamentary committees.