Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks on Friday with Speaker Nabih Berri on the government formation process and the parliamentary electoral law.

He said after the meeting at Ain el-Tineh: “We discussed several proposals over the law and I will issue a stance over one of them within 24 hours.”

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Friday that he will reactivate the meetings of the electoral subcommittee if he perceived positive signs from the rival parties.

“I began contacting the representatives of the foes participating in the subcommittee as it is crucial to reach an electoral law ahead of the parliamentary session set on May 15,” Berri said in comments published in several newspapers.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stressed on Thursday that the members of his Change and Reform bloc will only vote on the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal but would participate in the elections under any other law that garners the majority of votes at parliament.

In an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper, Aoun said: “We want to vote on the Orthodox proposal … after it garnered the support of the majority at the joint parliamentary committees.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov arrived in Beirut on Thursday on a four-day official visit to hold talks with senior Lebanese officials as part of his regional tour.

The Russian diplomat will hold talks with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and PM-designate Tammam Salam.

Speaker Nabih Berri has rejected appeals made by rival lawmakers for a parliamentary session before May 15 over the absence of a consensual electoral draft-law.

In remarks to local newspapers published Wednesday, Berri said he can't call for such a session without having a consensual vote law on parliament's agenda.

Rival lawmakers failed on Tuesday to reach an agreement on a hybrid electoral draft-law after they accused each other of obstructing attempts to achieve consensus on a system that would replace the 1960 law.

“Despite our conviction that the country is in a difficult situation and we have certain responsibilities .. we found out that the gap between some members is still very huge,” MP Robert Ghanem, the chairman of a parliamentary subcommittee, said.

Political parties have proposed to Premier-Designate Tammam Salam more than 180 names for only a 24-member government, An Nahar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The number is expected to rise pending a final step by Salam in handing over the portfolios to the right people, An Nahar said.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam has reportedly clinched a preliminary deal with the country's major political parties to form a 24-member cabinet made up of figures who are not running in the parliamentary elections.

Official sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat are playing a major role along with Salam to bring the new cabinet to light.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed on Saturday the need for a new government to be formed “as soon as possible.”

He said: “Premier-designate Tammam Salam should be realistic, not idealistic, in his efforts to form a new cabinet.”

Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour stressed on Friday that the discussions over the formation of a new government are not “bleak,” said various media reports Saturday.

He said: “Discussions did not reach a dead-end.”