Berri: Will Call for Extraordinary Session if Necessary, Redistribution of Seats Impermissible

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on Wednesday rejection of any attempt to reallocate parliamentary seats from one electoral district to another, pointing out that he would call for another extraordinary parliament session if the June 5 meeting fails to convene, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

The Speaker stressed in front of his visitors on Tuesday that he still refuses moving parliamentary seats from one electoral district to another, “this is division,” he said adding “it cannot be accepted at all.”

The political parties have almost agreed on a law based on full proportional representation and 15 districts but the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces are reportedly demanding the reallocation of three Maronite seats from Muslim-majority districts to Christian-majority districts.

The FPM and the LF believe that moving a Maronite seat from Tripoli to Batroun, another from West Bekaa to Jbeil and another from Baalbek-Hermel to Bsharri would raise Christians' ability to elect MPs with their own votes to 50 out of 64 seats.

Berri said he is still waiting for the final version of the law format -based on 15 districts- from LF MP George Adwan. He is also waiting the response of the Change and Reform bloc on the suggestions he made about the law.

On the June 5 extraordinary parliament session, Berri assured that shall the legislature fail to convene on that date, he would call for another extraordinary session.

Berri and President Michel Aoun have traded jibes lately over who between them has the jurisdiction to open an extraordinary legislative session.