Mustaqbal Bloc on Berri's Stance on Legislation: Election of President Remains Priority

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc noted on Tuesday that the election of a president should remain a priority in Lebanon given Speaker Nabih Berri's recent stance on holding a legislative session.

It said after its weekly meeting: “The election of a head of state will pave the way for restoring normalcy at constitutional institutions.”

It hoped that joint parliamentary committees will reach an agreement on an electoral draft-law that would enjoy the support of the majority of blocs.

It also voiced its fears over the ongoing paralysis of the parliament, warning of the danger such inactivity will have on the people's daily lives.

Berri on Monday called on the joint parliamentary committees to convene to tackle some 17 electoral draft-laws.

Once an agreement is reached on “two or three laws”, they can be referred to parliament where they will be addressed during a legislative session, explained the speaker.

Parliament convenes twice a year in two ordinary sessions -- the first starts mid-march until the end of May and the second from the middle of October through the end of December.

But the absence of a president since the end of President Michel Suleiman’s term in May 2014 has paralyzed the parliament and led to wrangling among cabinet ministers.

The Change and Reform and Lebanese Forces bloc support holding a legislative whose first article on its agenda is the electoral law.

The Kataeb party meanwhile stresses that parliament should only meet to elect a head of state.

M.T.