Berri Says Cabinet Can Function with Two-Thirds Majority
Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the cabinet will convene on Thursday as long as the two-thirds majority of ministers attend the session that will be chaired by Prime Minister Tammam Salam.
Local dailies quoted him as saying on Wednesday that “as long as the two-thirds majority of ministers is secured, then the session will be held.”
“The decisions will be taken as stipulated by the constitution. Issues that require two-thirds will be voted on by the two-thirds of ministers and articles that require the votes of half plus one, will be voted by an absolute majority,” Berri told his visitors.
He also stressed that the decrees do not require the signature of all 24 ministers.
The speaker revealed that Free Patriotic Movement ministers could bring up the issue of military and security appointments during the session.
“If some of the ministers withdraw from the session, then the cabinet will continue to convene as long as there is a constitutional quorum,” he said.
There are fears that FPM's two ministers would withdraw from the session over their call for the discussion of the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials.
The FPM ministers are backed by Hizbullah, the Tashnag Party and the Marada Movement, which together have six ministers in the government.
Asked about his plan to invite for an extraordinary parliamentary session, Berri said that he agreed with Salam for him to issue a decree along with the cabinet's simple majority. “The subject does not need to be stirred in the cabinet.”
Berri said that after the opening of the session, he would call parliament to meet to act on several draft-laws.
“I am adamant on holding legislative sessions because the situation in the country is no longer bearable,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources close to Salam told al-Joumhouria daily that the premier will not make an initiative during Thursday’s cabinet session.
“His invitation for the session is an initiative in itself because it is based on the majority's rejection to paralyze the cabinet,” they said.
Salam suspended the sessions earlier this month over the dispute on the appointments. But he stressed that he called on the cabinet to convene on Thursday because he could no longer wait for the rivals to resolve their differences.
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