Berri: Parliament Self-Master, to Decide on Extending Mandate

Local Editor

Lebanese House Speaker, Nabih Berri, viewed Wednesday that "the president has the right to use his constitutional powers regarding the law of extending the Parliament's mandate."

However, he stressed that "the parliament has also the right to use its own authorities."
In an interview with "as-Safir" Lebanese newspaper, Berri confirmed: "The Parliament is the master of itself. It can decide on the extension of its term if the need arises the same way the president has the right to use his authorities."
"Instead of going into such possibilities, all efforts must be exerted to hold the elections on time based on a new electoral law that is acceptable by all the Lebanese," he added.

In parallel, the Speaker warned that "time was running out, and if the wheel of electoral law's discussion wasn't launched in the Parliament before the new year, we would face a difficulty in approving a new law."

On March 14 boycott to the parliamentary sessions, Berri viewed that they aim to prevent a new electoral law.
"If March 14 and MP Walid Jumblatt form a parliamentary majority with the 1960's law, whay do they boycott the Parliament?" he wondered.
Meanwhile, the Speaker highlighted that he "was the first to call for the formation of a national unity government after the assassination of Martyr Wissam al-Hassan."
"He who is rushing to change the government must participate in the dialogue," Berri concluded.

The Speaker remarks came a day after President Michel Suleiman declared that he would not sign any decree that calls for the extension of parliament's mandate unless a new draft-law is being prepared.

 
Source: as-Safir daily, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org