Change MPs lose in committee elections, Berri says they broke agreement

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday accused the Change MPs of breaking an agreement for consensus in the elections of parliamentary committees, as the Change lawmakers lost several key seats.

The National News Agency said the structure of most parliamentary committees remained unchanged, except for a few members.

“MP Adnan Trabulsi won and replaced MP Ibrahim Mneimneh in the finance committee, as MP Mark Daou only garnered 22 votes. MP Halima Qaaqour meanwhile won only 18 votes in the elections of the administration committee as its structure remained the same,” NNA added.

“You broke the agreement,” Berri said, when told by MP Adib Abdel Massih that there should be consensus on a member for the Change bloc in the Administration and Justice Committee.

“As it is known, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab had sought over the past days to reach consensus on representing all the blocs that are not represented in the committees, especially the Change MPs, but I was told last evening of the failure of these efforts, and the proof is the nominations that took place,” Berri added.