Berri Fears Presidential Vacuum, Says Some Sides Seeking Foreign Meddling in Polls
Speaker Nabih Berri expressed his fears over vacuum in the presidency amid the ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a candidate, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.
He told the daily: “Vacuum will facilitate foreign meddling in the elections.”
“Some sides are possibly seeking this intervention,” he remarked.
Moreover, he warned that the possibility of vacuum is real should the upcoming presidential elections session fail.
A third round of the elections is scheduled for Wednesday.
The second round failed to be held on April 30 after the necessary quorum at parliament was not reached.
The March 8 camp, except Berri's Development and Liberation bloc, boycotted the session.
“I will weigh my options should the third presidential session fail,” stressed the speaker to al-Akhbar.
“So far, there are no encouraging signs that quorum will be met given the ongoing political divisions,” noted Berri.
He had warned on Monday that he would change his “classical” approach to the presidential polls if lawmakers failed again to elect a new head of state.
“I am so far dealing with the presidential elections in a classical way,” he explained.
He stressed that the Lebanese should take advantage of non-interference of foreign countries in the presidential polls, to elect a “made in Lebanon president.”
M.T.
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