Lebanese Democratic Party leader MP Talal Arslan threw his weight behind Speaker Nabih Berri on Saturday, saying politicians should also back all the efforts exerted by the head of the Amal movement to agree on a vote law.

Following talks with Berri in Ain el-Tineh, Arslan told reporters that all parties “should work on Berri's initiative to reach the required results.”

Speaker Nabih Berri has said that he would allow lawmakers to hold discussions during Wednesday's parliamentary session before calling for a vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria daily published on Saturday, Berri hoped that the talks would lead to an agreement on a new vote law.

A delegation from MP Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front held talks on Friday with Speaker Nabih Berri on the efforts to reach an agreement over a new government and parliamentary electoral law.

Caretaker Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi said after the meeting: “We must reach an agreement over a new government formula and electoral law otherwise all sides will pay the price of their actions.”

A Phalange Party delegation continued on Friday a tour on Lebanese rival groups to discuss the initiative proposed by the party to introduce a constitutional amendment, which calls for neutrality and dissociate the country from the conflicts surrounding it.

“We are trying to attain the largest support for our proposal,” Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel said after talks with the head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, Fouad Saniora.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam lashed out on Thursday at Speaker Nabih Berri's criticism over the representation of centrists in the government.

“Salam will not back down... He will not grant the blocking third to any party,” Salam's visitors said in comments to An Nahar newspaper.

The parliamentary session set to be held on May 15 is expected to deepen the rift between the parties if lawmakers were called to vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal.

An Nahar newspaper reported on Thursday that al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front, the March 14 Independent Christian MPs and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati would boycott the session if it aimed at voting on the proposal.

Head of the Mustaqbal bloc MP Fouad Saniora slammed on Wednesday Hizbullah's fighting in Syria alongside regime forces, saying that those seeking to avert the repercussions of the crisis should not send their youth to fight in the country.

He therefore urged President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam, and all political leaders and MPs to realize the dangers facing Lebanon.

Speaker Nabih Berri called on Wednesday lawmakers for a parliamentary session on May 15 to discuss the adoption of a new electoral law.

The session will be held at 11:00 a.m. to tackle the endorsement of the new electoral law that has deepened the gap between the Lebanese foes.

The new cabinet is not likely to witness light before mid-May over the insistence of Shiite leaderships to name the sect's ministers in addition to another request for veto power by the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to An Nahar, the coalition has conditioned a 45 percent of seats in the government similar to its weight in parliament and has rejected the rotation of portfolios that Premier-designate Tammam Salam had suggested.

Beirut Maronite Bishop Boulos Matar has been tasked by Bkirki to promote a hybrid electoral plan that was previously proposed by President Michel Suleiman, An Nahar newspaper reported on Wednesday despite the clergyman's denial.

An Nahar said that the proposal allows 68 candidates to be elected under the winner-takes-all system in 26 electoral districts and 60 via proportional representation in 11 districts.