Home  News Berri back as House Speaker, Harriri nominated to Premiership |
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Berri back as House Speaker, Harriri nominated to Premiership |
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Written by General Editor
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Consensus Atmosphere Shaken by Number of Votes for Berri, Makari
Premier-Designate Hariri Vows to Form 'Homogeneous' Cabinet
Bickering between majority and opposition was clear Thursday after Speaker Nabih Berri didn't get the votes he was expecting and Deputy Speaker Farid Makari received mainly majority votes. Although Berri was reelected Thursday, he didn't get the expected 100 votes, an indication that many majority MPs didn't cast ballots in his favor. In retaliation, only four opposition lawmakers, including Berri and his three independent allies, voted for March 14 coalition's Makari as deputy speaker. Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri vowed on Saturday to form a homogeneous and consensus government that is able to function away from obstruction. He vowed to form a "homogeneous" and "consensus" government that is able to remain united and "make achievements away from obstruction" in cooperation with the president.
Majority sources told An Nahar daily that the "drills" during Thursday's parliament session do not give the impression that all opposition parties are committed to the "positive atmosphere" to help in the formation of a new government.
Although Berri was reelected Thursday, he didn't get the expected 100 votes, an indication that many majority MPs didn't cast ballots in his favor. In retaliation, only four opposition lawmakers, including Berri and his three independent allies, voted for March 14 coalition's Makari as deputy speaker.
Berri, a member of the opposition alliance, got 90 votes while Makari got 70.
Opposition sources told An Nahar that more than half of al-Mustaqbal movement MPs didn't abide by the agreement reached between Berri and Hariri. This led to a counter reaction by not giving enough votes to Makari.
As Safir daily quoted Berri as telling his visitors that he had helped in speeding up consultations for the premier's post and was hoping that his understanding with MP Saad Hariri would not suffer a relapse as happened during Thursday's session.
Opposition leadership sources have also expressed resentment at the way Mustaqbal bloc acted. They told As Safir that Hariri's non abidance by his pledge will ignite a new "trust crisis" that would reflect negatively on future political life, in particular formation of the next cabinet.
However, al-Mustaqbal movement sources told the daily that most of MPs who directly belong to the Mustaqbal bloc voted in favor of Berri with some exceptions.
The sources stressed that not getting the 100 votes doesn't mean that the bloc violated its commitments. They said opposition reprisal by not voting for Makari was useless and harsh.
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat told As Safir that he wasn't surprised by the number of votes Berri received because some March 14 members insisted on not voting for him.
But Jumblat stressed that what happed on Thursday is now from the past, saying "we are now facing a new stage. I hope there would be harmony between President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri and Saad Hariri who will be nominated (premier) at the end of consultations."
Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri vowed on Saturday to form a homogeneous and consensus government that is able to function away from obstruction.
We "will safeguard the constitution, (state) institutions, sovereignty, independence and the project of the building of the Lebanese state," Hariri told reporters at Baabda palace after President Michel Suleiman designated him Lebanon's premier and tasked him with forming a new cabinet.
He vowed to form a "homogeneous" and "consensus" government that is able to remain united and "make achievements away from obstruction" in cooperation with the president.
Hariri also promised to keep strife and "foreign and economic" dangers away from Lebanon.
Suleiman on Saturday designated Hariri Lebanon's premier after the majority of parliamentarians nominated the politician to the post.
"According to the constitution and after the president consulted with the speaker of parliament and parliamentarians, he (Suleiman) summoned Saad Hariri and tasked him with forming a new government," a presidential statement said.
The decree issued by Suleiman came after Hariri received 86 votes of approval by lawmakers following two days of consultations. Hariri got the approval of 71 MPs from his own majority alliance, plus Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and his bloc of 12 legislators and two Armenian MPs.
This would be Hariri's first designation to the premiership following the June 7 legislative elections in which the March 14 coalition won 71 out of the 128 seats in parliament.
The 39-year-old is to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, a member of Hariri's al-Mustaqbal movement.
From Baabda palace, Hariri headed to downtown Beirut and prayed at his father's graveside along with Saniora and other members of his bloc.
Hariri now faces the difficult task of negotiating with other political factions to form a government. The process can take days or even weeks.
As news broke up about his nomination, celebratory gunfire shook Beirut and its suburbs. However, Hariri urged citizens in a statement not to fire in the air.
Around 12 people were injured from celebratory gunfire on Thursday, when parliament reelected Berri.
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