Legislative Session Held amid LF, FPM Participation, Kataeb Boycott

A legislative session aimed at tackling a number of financial draft-laws was held Thursday at parliament amid the boycott of the Kataeb Party and a rally staged by its supporters in protest against the meeting.

The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement took part in the meeting following an agreement that was reached on Wednesday that appeased their demands regarding restoring the nationality of expatriates and the parliamentary electoral laws.

The meeting was chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri and attended by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and several ministers.

The premier declared from parliament: “This is a national moment and we hail the efforts that led to holding the legislative session.”

The parliament later approved the food safety law, the law on granting nationality to emigrants of Lebanese origin and around 20 draft laws and proposals, "most of them related to international financial agreements and commitments," state-run National News Agency said.

Following controversy over a draft law on equipping the army, the ministers of defense and finance and Change and Reform bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan held a meeting in Berri's office to "finalize a middle-ground solution," media reports said. The move was coordinated with MP Samir al-Jisr of al-Mustaqbal bloc.

The draft law was eventually approved after amendments were introduced to it.

Berri then adjourned the session to 1:00 pm Friday after lawmakers observed a moment of silence over the victims of the twin suicide bombings that rocked Bourj al-Barajneh and left at least 41 people dead and over 200 others wounded.

Parliament's general secretariat later announced that Friday's legislative session has been postponed from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Kataeb lawmakers had attended the meeting in hope that Berri would turn it into a session to elect a president.

The speaker rejected the demand however and they withdrew from parliament where the protesters were gathered.

Kataeb chief MP Sami Gemayel told the protesters: “Article 74 of the constitution stipulates that should there be a presidential vacuum for any reason, parliament must immediately convene to elect a new head of state.”

“By law, the parliament in the absence of a president transforms from a legislative body to an electoral one,” he added.

“We must immediately elect a new president without any debate or discussions in accordance with the constitution,” he stated.

“There are no technical, national, or constitutional factors hindering the election of a president. Is the implementation of the constitution prohibited and its violation permitted?” he wondered.

“There is no greater duty than respecting the constitution and the election of a president,” Gemayel declared.

The party had vowed not to attend any legislative session before the election of a new president.

Lebanon has been without a head of state since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

The last legislative session was held in November 2014.

M.T./Y.R.