Berri says consensus is 'obligatory' gateway for electing a president

Speaker Nabih Berri has reiterated his warning that the country cannot bear months of presidential vacuum, seeing as Lebanon's "dire" situation is much worse than it was in the vacuum period that preceded Michel Aoun's election.

"Consensus is an obligatory gateway for electing a president, and without this consensus the vacuum cycle will continue and the country will pay the price," Berri added, in an interview with al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Berri, however, noted that his suspension of his latest dialogue initiative does not mean that he will "stand idly by," adding that he will give the parties until the end of the year to reach consensus over a president before re-activating his initiative.