The mandate of Lebanon’s parliament --which extended its own mandate for three consecutive times since its election in 2009-- ends at midnight Monday, meanwhile the government gears for its final meeting at Baabda Palace to tackle 59 items before it turns into a caretaker government on Tuesday.
The cabinet will convene at the Presidential Palace and will be chaired by President Michel Aoun to discuss several issues including the problematic electricity file, said al-Joumhouria daily.
On Wednesday, the new parliament will convene under the most senior MP, Michel Murr, to re-elect AMAL Movement leader Nabih Berri to a sixth term as Parliament Speaker.
Upon his re-election as speaker, Berri will move from his parliamentary seat to the presidential platform to run the session to elect his deputy for a full four-year term, added the daily.
In the coming hours, contacts and meetings intensify before the parliamentary blocs launch nominations. In this context, the “Strong Republic” bloc (of the Lebanese Forces) will hold a meeting this afternoon to determine its position on the parliamentary and government entitlements, although it nominated MP Anis Nassar as deputy speaker.
Both the Strong Lebanon bloc and al-Mustaqbal bloc (of PM Saad Hariri) are expected to determine their position on Tuesday.
As soon as the parliamentary entitlement ends, the attention will be drawn towards the naming of a new premier and the formation of the new government.
On Thursday, President Michel Aoun begins the binding parliamentary consultations for naming a premier in preparation for the formation of the next government.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/246419-report-decisive-week-ahead-as-...
