Berri to Revive Electoral Subcommittee Meetings if 'Positive' Signs Appear
Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Friday that he will reactivate the meetings of the electoral subcommittee if he perceived positive signs from the rival parties.
“I began contacting the representatives of the foes participating in the subcommittee as it is crucial to reach an electoral law ahead of the parliamentary session set on May 15,” Berri said in comments published in several newspapers.
He pointed out that he will task the subcommittee's chairman, MP Robert Ghanem, to resume the meetings.
“It is unacceptable to remain at a standstill,” the speaker said.
AMAL movement leader stressed that the polls will be held on time, noting that he rejects “the extension of the parliament's term.”
“If we reached the deadline without any consensus on the electoral law, lawmakers will have to attend a marathon session day and night until we agree on it,” Berri added.
Rival MPs at a parliamentary subcommittee had been tasked with agreeing on a new law that would replace the 1960 law, which considers the qada an electoral district and is based on the winner-takes-all system.
Ghanem, announced the suspension of the meetings over the “huge gap” between the rival MPs from the March 8 and March 14 alliances in addition to the centrist National Struggle Front.
The 1960 law was used in the 2009 elections with some amendments. The majority of parties have rejected it for not guaranteeing a fair representation for all the Lebanese, mainly Christians.
Berri has said he would call for a session on May 15 to vote on the Orthodox proposal for being the only plan approved by the joint committees despite the criticism of al-Mustaqbal bloc, the National Struggle Front and the March 14 Christian independent MPs.
Concerning the formation of the government, Berri described the ongoing consultations carried out by Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam and different parties as “positive.”
“The rival parties agreed to form a 24-member cabinet, which Salam based his consultations on,” he said.
Salam says he wants to form a government whose main responsibility is the supervision of the elections. He rejects having in it provocative political figures and election candidates.
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