Controversial Parliamentary Session Postponed to June 15 over Lack of Quorum

Speaker Nabih Berri postponed on Wednesday a parliamentary session to June 15 over lack of quorum which came following the rejection of Walid Jumblat’s seven-member National Struggle Front bloc to attend.

Beirut newspapers had already expected the session not to be held over lack of quorum. Premier-designate Najib Miqati and his Tripoli allies, MPs Ahmed Karami and Mohammed Safadi, confirmed last week that they will not attend the session which had 49 items on its agenda, among them the renewal of Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh’s mandate.

A quorum requires the presence of half of the parliament’s 128-members, plus one, or 65 MPs.

The Hizbullah-led March 8 forces have 58 lawmakers. While members of Berri’s bloc, Hizbullah lawmakers and other March 8 MPs came to parliament, Jumblat’s lawmakers did not attend the session.

Before the session, a meeting was held at Berri’s office between the speaker, Premier-designate Najib Miqati, MPs Michel Aoun, Walid Jumblat, Suleiman Franjieh, Mohammed Raad, Talal Arslan and Assaad Hardan.

The speaker then held a press conference at parliament justifying his call for a session.

Jumblat held talks with Berri’s aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil on Tuesday. As Safir daily said that Khalil did not ask from Jumblat for a final answer on whether he would boycott the session or not.

According to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, Jumblat and his MPs have said that they would attend only if Berri agrees to put the renewal of Salameh’s mandate at the top of the agenda. It is currently ranked 36th from among 49 items.

After holding talks with Khalil, Jumblat sent Caretaker Minister Wael Abou Faour to Ain el-Tineh to inform Berri about his decision, al-Liwaa newspaper said.