March 14 Seeks to Counter Parliamentary Meetings Presided by March 8 Rapporteurs
March 14 opposition alliance lawmakers are set to meet in the next few days to discuss ways to counter rapporteurs from the March 8 majority coalition who are presiding parliamentary committee meetings, An Nahar daily reported on Thursday.
The opposition boycotted all parliamentary activity in the aftermath of the Oct. 19 assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Branch chief Wissam al-Hasan after it blamed the government for the killing, and called for its resignation.
But March 8 MPs continued to attend the meetings of parliamentary committees led by rapporteurs from the majority alliance due to the boycott of the committee heads and members from the March 14 opposition.
March 14 accused March 8 lawmakers of breaking the law and is now seeking to resolve the issue through a meeting the coalition's heads of committees, rapporteurs and members of parliament's bureau are planning to hold at deputy Boutros Harb's residence in the next few days, An Nahar said.
During a meeting of the parliament’s bureau and heads and rapporteurs of legislative committees presided by Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday, a preliminary agreement was reached to hold a meeting of joint parliamentary committees to study the electoral draft-law, the daily said.
It added that Berri will make contacts with the opposition's heads of parliamentary blocs to urge them into exempting the discussions on an electoral law from their boycott.
The speaker reiterated during his weekly meeting with lawmakers that the legislature must return to performing its duties, including studying a new electoral law.
The government approved a law in August and referred it to parliament for approval but it faced a deadlock over the rejection of most of March 14 parliamentary blocs to divide Lebanon into 13 electoral districts based on proportional representation.
President Michel Suleiman reiterated during a cabinet session held on Wednesday on holding the 2013 elections on time even based on the law adopted in 1960.
But he stressed that parliament should resume its role in amending the law or approving a new and modern draft-law.
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