Report: Preliminary Deal to Extend Parliament Term for 18 Months
A preliminary agreement has been reached among the country's major parties to extend parliament's mandate to the autumn of 2014, informed sources said Monday.
The sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper that Speaker Nabih Berri, who is the head of the Amal movement, Hizbullah and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat have agreed on the extension.
Al-Mustaqbal bloc chief Fouad Saniora expressed readiness to provide an answer on the proposal on Monday, the sources said.
Hizbullah would also try to convince its ally Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on such an extension, they said.
Berri has said he would call for a national assembly before the end of the legislature's ordinary session on May 31 to agree on the extension of parliament's four-year mandate.
The extension would come after the rival parties failed to agree on a new electoral law that would govern the June elections.
Berri told al-Joumhouria that it was not possible to hold the polls next month based on the 1960 law over the deteriorating security situation in the country.
“How could the conditions for holding safe elections be guaranteed amid tension in Sidon, Tripoli, Dahieh (Beirut's southern suburbs) and Akkar?” Berri asked.
He also ruled out holding the elections after a few months, saying a six-month extension was not possible because the security situation would most likely not improve swiftly.
So far, 406 candidates have registered to run for the June polls on the basis of the 1960 vote law, despite strong opposition to it.
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