Berri Expects Cabinet Session this Week as Mechanism Remains Unchanged

Speaker Nabih Berri has expected the cabinet to resume its sessions this week with the same controversial decision-making mechanism which he and Prime Minister Tammam Salam reject.

Berri told his visitors over the weekend that Salam could call for a session this week despite his failure to convince the rival ministers from amending the mechanism to activate the government's work.

The differences between the ministers on the amendment of the mechanism prompted Salam to suspend sessions in the past two weeks until the cabinet members reach an agreement on the formula, which he wants it to be based on article 65 of the constitution.

The article's clause five says: “The legal quorum for a council meeting shall be a two-thirds majority of its members. It shall make its decisions by consensus. If that is not possible, it makes its decisions by vote of the majority of attending members. Basic issues shall require the approval of two thirds of the members of the government named in the decree of its formation.”

The current mechanism, which was adopted after the cabinet assumed the responsibilities of the president in accordance with the constitution, states that ministers should give unanimous support to the government's decisions.

But it proved to be troublesome after some ministers resorted to veto power.

Berri, whose remarks were published in local dailies on Monday, reiterated that he rejects the current mechanism and prefers the adoption of article 65 in taking decisions.

He stressed that the ministers representing his AMAL Movement will express reservations during the upcoming session if the same formula was adopted.

“Salam's vision lies in having consensus without paralysis,” he said.

The prime minister's “password” on the upcoming session will likely come on Tuesday, sources told al-Liwaa newspaper.

They said the adjournment of the session for the third week in a row could place the government's credibility at risk.

Ministerial sources also told al-Joumhouria daily that Salam would not propose a discussion on the mechanism if he calls for a session on Thursday.

They expected a change in the implementation of the current formula. Simple issues would be discussed without objections while important topics would take time to give way for consultations and consensus, they said.