Naharnet

Berri says won't open parliament in absence of 'serious nominations'

Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday stressed that he will not call for a presidential election session in the absence of “at least two serious nominations.”

“Parliament’s doors have not and will not be shut in the face of a presidential election session should at least two serious presidential nominations be announced,” Berri said in a statement, emphasizing that “distortions and threats” against him are “of no use.”

The opposition and the Free Patriotic Movement have recently said that they have agreed on ex-minister Jihad Azour as a presidential candidate, but the FPM is yet to officially endorse him, arguing that there should be consultations over “the program and the election mechanism.”

The FPM has also argued that Azour should be a “consensus” candidate and not a candidate aimed at “confronting” the Hezbollah-led camp.

Source: Naharnet


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