Berri to Call for Legislative Session if Govt. Isn't Formed Monday

In light of anticipations that Lebanon completes the formation of its government on Monday, Speaker Nabih Berri said he is willing to call for a legislative session if the lineup fails, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

“If the government is not announced on Monday, I will immediately call for a legislative session of the parliament, namely that days ago the agenda of the meeting was distributed to deputies,” Berri said in remarks to the daily.

“We must not miss the opportunity now to generate a government. There is no longer any justification for the delay,” added Berri, noting that a lot of time has been wasted and Lebanon has to face the challenges and crises it is suffering.

On Sunday, media reports said the line-up is expected to be announced Monday or Tuesday after pessimistic remarks made by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.

Berri pointed out that according to information he owns and according to what he heard from Hariri, his “level of optimism is higher than ever before,” he said.

Political wrangling over portfolios, especially among Christian and Druze forces, has delayed the formation of the cabinet for several months now.

A new hurdle has also emerged in recent days regarding the representation of Sunni MPs opposed to Hariri's al-Mustaqbal Movement.