Parliament agreed on Wednesday to suspend the deadline for submitting nominations for the parliamentary elections.

It agreed to suspend the deadline to May 19.

Around 600 Lebanese citizens signed a petition that rejects the adoption of the so-called Orthodox Gathering draft-law during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Lawmakers, Ministers, businessmen, journalists, academicians and activists signed the petition that will be handed over to President Michel Suleiman and the parliament.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam launched on Tuesday consultations with parliamentary blocs on the shape and type of the new government.

Salam kicked off the consultations with a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri at the parliament. He later held talks with Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, who said following the meeting that he called for the formation of a government whose main purpose will be to hold the elections.

Disagreements between rival parties on the elections spiraled out of control on Tuesday leading to the postponement of a parliamentary session after a camp backed the suspension of candidacies for the June elections and another sought an extension.

A largescale meeting for parliament's bureau was held under Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday morning after a similar meeting the day before. It was attended by Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, lawmakers from the Lebanese Forces and the Phalange and Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati expressed relief on Monday over the achievements made by the cabinet that he led from 2011 until his resignation last month, pointing out that ties with the rival parties, without exception, are “good.”

“I acted according to my conscience and national duties... I wasn't waiting for a compliment from anyone... Only the people can judge my actions,” Miqati said in an interview with As Safir newspaper.

Speaker Nabih Berri will call for a parliamentary session on Tuesday to amend the deadlines set by the 1960 electoral law, An Nahar newspaper said Sunday.

The daily said that a meeting of parliament’s bureau on Monday will lead to setting a legislative session for the next day to amend some of the articles hours before PM-designate Tammam Salam begins two days of consultations with parliamentary blocs to form his new government.

Premier-designate Tammam Salam announced on Saturday that he did not make any pledges to any political powers in order to assume his position at the premiership.

He said upon his official appointment as prime minister-designate: “I aim to form a government that seeks to achieve national interests.”

The Development and Liberation bloc of Speaker Nabih Berri announced on Friday its support for MP Tammam Salam to head a new government.

Berri said: “The Development and Liberation bloc has decided to nominate MP Tammam Salam to head a consensual national government.”

Lawmaker Tammam Salam is set to be tasked at the weekend with forming a new government after the March 14 coalition officially endorsed him as its candidate for the premiership and the March 8 alliance reportedly agreed late Thursday to back him.

The Beirut MP, who is the son of late Prime Minister Saeb Salam, will now be facing the task of forming a new cabinet whose form and type is until now unclear.

Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan hoped on Thursday that Speaker Nabih Berri would be tasked to find a consensual figure to head a new government in Lebanon.

He said after talks with the speaker at Ain el-Tineh: “Consultations are ongoing to reach an agreement over a consensual candidate to head the new cabinet.”