Berri Says Parliament Could Elect President in 36 Hours if Maronites Agree
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri blamed on Saturday the rival Maronite parties for the ongoing presidential vacuum, estimating that the elections could be staged in less than 36 hours if they agreed on a consensual candidate.
“I would retreat and hold a sit-in at the parliament until they head to the legislature,” Berri said in comments to An Nahar newspaper, saying that the sharp rift between the Christian rival parties is behind the ongoing vacuum.
“We are able to elect a president in less than 36 hours if they agree.”
Lebanon has been without a president, who is also the commander-in-chief, since May because of disagreements between the March 14 and 8 alliances.
Hizbullah and the Change and Reform bloc have been boycotting electoral sessions due to a disagreement with the March 14 camp over a compromise presidential candidate.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, who is a candidate, had previously accused them of adopting such measures in order to blackmail political blocs into electing Free Patriotic chief MP Michel Aoun as president.
The Lebanese government has decided on Friday to cancel Independence Day celebrations for the first time since the 1975-1990 civil war because of the country's presidential vacuum.
Lebanon was due to mark the 71st anniversary of its independence on Saturday with a parade involving all the country's security forces.
The cancellation is the first since the end of the civil war.
The day is usually marked with a speech to the nation by the president on the eve of the holiday and a military parade on the day itself in Beirut, attended by the country's political leadership.
22 November 2014, 11:56
00
Somebody needs to remind the former speaker Berri that the current existing parliament is illegitimate, and therefore does not represent the will of the people.
Now the way I view the parliament in Lebanon is rather differently then some people. The truth is parliaments in Lebanon have always been controlled and manipulated by sectarian blocks representing Lebanon's 18 major sects. However, in recent years new political reality took form and shape that divided the parliament along two major power brokers the so called March 14 and March 8. The former and the latter are totally depended on regional forces meaning in this case Saudi Arabia and Iran. Moreover, another thing that is worth mentioning is the missing "Class" analysis in all of the Parliaments that came and claimed to represent the interests of the people Lebanon.
22 November 2014, 12:27
21
unfortunaltely maronite leaders have been so obsessed of holding on to power. The competition among them are just based on who is going to be the boss and not on a program. From Chamoun, Edde, Pierre Gemayel, Geagea, Aoun, Amine Gemayel and so on. N
23 November 2014, 02:12
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greatpierro,
History recorded Mr. Raymond Edde as a Patriot and a Scholar for our nation. I would not enlist Raymond Edde amongst the class of politicians you mentioned. The "unfortunate" thing about your blog is the superficiality and generalization nature of your observation.
22 November 2014, 17:02
23
sure you just want one nominee so no challenge like a brave democrat you are... elect aoun the bashar way is so much simpler....
22 November 2014, 18:09
21
it is not up to you to decide who M14 nominates neither to M8... it is called democracy: repeat after me: DEMOCRACY....
and as far as justice goes geagea is clean judiciary speaking... oh! you want to change justice too? LOL
but you FEAR this election as your master aoun... otherwise he wouldn't care about who confronts him LOL
22 November 2014, 19:12
11
I believe the blame can somewhat be shared.We are constantly failing to see the bigger picture as a result of our hostility and disgust with one another....It is also quite sad, we can't put some of our hatred to rest and yield a bit more, for Lebanon?
22 November 2014, 19:38
11
poor FT.... a presidential amnesty then for you is not cleaning the slate... you d better educate yourself ...
i guess then aoun also is still guilty in your idiotic logic as he also had an amnesty , ya chater anta....
22 November 2014, 19:41
03
I think both Geagaa and Aoun should withdraw their names... We deserve less dispute and negativity and more unity!
22 November 2014, 20:53
11
@ridonkulous, you're absolutely right, both these two men should not only withdraw their names but also retire completely from politics. Let them hand over to younger and better people, and let's have our new president. Mr. Berri, you are a hypocrite, and we will get our president soon.
