Berri Says His Law Proposal Won't be Valid after May 15

Speaker Nabih Berri called on political parties to grasp the chance and approve his electoral law proposal because it “will not be valid after May 15” when an anticipated parliament session convenes, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.

“I have done everything I could, but the others did not pick up the opportunity. The last law proposal I made to get out of the current crisis will not be valid after May 15,” Berri told the daily in an interview.

Berri's proposal calls for electing a senate under a sectarian voting electoral system and a parliament under an electoral law fully based on proportional representation.

However the Speaker did not elaborate on the fate of the upcoming parliament session which was first suspended by President Michel Aoun to give more room for more deliberations on an electoral law and avoid another extension of the parliament's term.

“My offer ends in a few days, by then I will no more accept what I do now. I have relinquished some powers of the parliament, which I have acquired for many years, in order to reach solutions, but it seems some do not wish for a solution,” added Berri.

Berri's proposal for the creation of a senate as part of efforts to resolve the electoral law crisis calls for forming a body consisted of 32 Muslim senators and 32 Christian senators and for allocating its presidency to the Druze community.

If an agreement is reached on allocating its chairmanship to the Greek Orthodox community, the Druze community would be given either the deputy speaker post or the deputy premier post.

The proposed snate would take some powers from parliament, especially those related to crucial issues, in line with the Taef Accord.