Geagea accuses Berri of 'blatant breach' of parliamentary rules after cancelled session

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused Tuesday Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri of obstructing a legislative session that was cancelled this morning due to a lack of quorum.

Geagea said that Berri is responsible for refusing to discuss in Monday and Tuesday's sessions an urgent draft law presented by 67 MPs demanding an amendment to the current electoral law.

The current electoral law allows the Lebanese abroad to vote for six new seats but some MPs -including the 67 MPs- want to amend it so expatriates can vote for all 128 seats.

These lawmakers and other MPs including change and independent MPs refused to attend the session Tuesday, forcing Berri to call it off due to lack of quorum.

The session was adjourned from Monday to Tuesday after Kataeb and LF MPs walked out of the session because Berri refused to put the law on the session's agenda.

"How can the speaker ignore an urgent draft law submitted by 67 lawmakers months ago?" Geagea asked, accusing Berri of "breaching" the parliamentary rules and disrespecting 67 deputies elected by the Lebanese.

Geagea urged Berri to call for a legislative session as soon as possible, with the proposed law on the agenda. "The solution is in the hands of Speaker Berri," he said.

If Berri doesn't call for a session with the law on its agenda, he'd be obstructing without any justification the parliamentary elections by preventing a parliamentary majority from making amendments to the current law, Geagea said.