Berri Gives Rival MPs Chance to Reach Consensus on Vote Law

Speaker Nabih Berri vowed on Wednesday to keep his centrist position on the differences between lawmakers over which electoral draft-law guarantees the best representation for all the Lebanese.

“The 1960 law is behind us and the Orthodox Gathering proposal in front of us,” he told An Nahar daily. “I will keep myself in the middle until the Lebanese reach consensus.”

Berri, who chaired the joint parliamentary committees’ meeting that endorsed the Orthodox draft-law on Tuesday, said he was not in a hurry to call for a parliamentary session to a vote on a law.

He hinted that he would not call the general assembly to meet soon to allow for more time between the bickering MPs to reach consensus.

“I have honestly told the lawmakers that I will continue in my job and play my role to achieve consensus.”

He said the approval of the Orthodox proposal is a “legal and constitutional path.”

The draft-law has been criticized by President Michel Suleiman, Premier Najib Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the National Struggle Front and March 14 independent Christian politicians and MPs.

The trio withdrew from Tuesday's committees meeting to protest the Orthodox proposal's adoption, warning that it would harm the social fabric and lead to extremism if parliament approved it.

Former Minister Khalil Hrawi, representing Suleiman, discussed with Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Tuesday ways to guarantee consensus on a hybrid draft-law that combines the winner-takes-all and proportionality systems, An Nahar said.

Asked about a caricature of King Abdullah hanged in banners in two areas in Lebanon, Berri said: “We don't forget about the king's role and his love for Lebanon.”

“We back the best of ties with the kingdom,” he told An Nahar.

The speaker held talks with Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad Assiri on Tuesday to convey his disapproval over the hanging of the posters portraying Abdullah as the king of spades holding in his hand a sword stained with blood.