Speaker Nabih Berri postponed Monday a divisive session of Parliament until mid-July, as the row over the constitutionality of convening a legislative session with a resigned government continued.
The decision to postpone the legislative session, which had been due to discuss some 45 draft laws, came after officials and political parties from both sides of the political divide boycotted the session.
The new dates for the legislative sessions are July 16 to July 18.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, speaking in Parliament following talks with Berri, said he would hold on to his position, based on legal consultations, regarding the legislative session.
Mikati Friday said he would boycott Monday’s planned meeting of Parliament, disputing the constitutionality of convening the session with a resigned government.
“I have legal consultations that I am holding onto. It is true that Parliament is its own authority and has the right to legislate at all times but when there is a caretaker government, legislating needs to be limited to urgent matters,” he told reporters in Parliament Monday.
Berri had called for three consecutive legislative sessions for this week – from Monday to Wednesday – to study and approve some 45 draft laws listed on Parliament’s agenda. Among these was a proposal to extend the term of Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi by raising the retirement age of top military and security officials.
Mikati said the dispute was rooted in differences over the constitutionality of holding the session and that he sought a legal exit to the impasse.
“The issue is one of the constitutionality [of the session]. I have a decree that can be signed in order to convene an extraordinary session of Parliament. Until now, I have not signed it and I discussed this matter with the president and we are in agreement that we should not sign it, [fearing] this would lead to further problems,” he said, responding to a question.
“We want a legal and constitutional and legal exit to this problem,” he added.
Mikati also said he supported holding a Parliament session dedicated to discussing urgent matters.
“We are for convening a session for urgent matters and not that the agenda be comprehensive because there is a reality that cannot be overcome: There is today an executive branch that is lacking [in powers] because of its resignation and a legislative branch that has all its powers,” he said.
“There should be a separation of powers and parity, balance and cooperation between the [different branches] of government and I don’t see at present balance between the resigned government and the legislative branch,” he added.
“The position I have taken is not personal but related to the post of the prime minister and executive branch which needs be in balance with [the other] branches.”
In a rare speech over the weekend, Berri said Parliament was considered in an extraordinary session after the resignation of the government and that it maintained all its prerogatives, including holding a legislative session. He also listed precedents, both before and after the Taif Accord, when Parliament had legislated with a resigned government.
MP Ahmad Fatfat, whose Future Movement boycotted the session, for his part, slammed Berri, calling him the boss of the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition.
“Parliament Speaker is unjust. I have said this on several occasions that I do not consider him as a just speaker ... I consider him as adhering to [Hezbollah’s] weapons,” Fatfat told reporters in Parliament.
Fatfat said his party was not against the extension of Kahwagi’s term.
“We want the extension of [the terms of] all security chiefs, including [retired police chief] Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and General Director of the Higher Defense Council Maj. Gen. Mohammad Kheir," Fatfat said.
Fatfat warned that Future bloc MPs would also boycott the mid-July sessions if the items on the agenda remained the same.
Mikati’s government resigned after a fall out among ministers over extending the mandate of the former head of the Internal Security Forces. The dispute between Mikati and ministers loyal to the March 8 camp included the issue of establishing a committee to supervise the elections.
Caretaker Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil, a political aide to Berri, slammed MPs who had boycotted the session.
“No one has an interest in torpedoing the parliamentary cycle and imposing his terms, contrary to the constitutional rules that give it the right to work law,” Khalil said.
Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel said that the legislative session was postponed due to Hezbollah's involvement in Syria and disputes over some issues that could not be resolved because of deep divisions among the Lebanese.
Addressing a news conference, Gemayel said he supported the extension of Kahwagi's term.
"I support extending the term of the Army Commander and this is useful today. It is prefarable that this move be an exception," he said.
