Why Mr. Berri’s latest suggestion of exchanging the 1960s law for the presidency won’t go anywhere.

Yet another time wasting “initiative”

On the surface, Mr. Berri’s proposal [1] made this morning to Assafir (always Assafir) is worth looking into. Sure the 1960s law has many flaws, but on balance, the benefits of having a new president surely outweigh the disadvantages of a half-century-old electoral law. In fact, Mr. Berri’s proposal even got FM’s member Mustapha Allouch to promise that March 14 will “look into it”.

The proposal seems like a simple quid-pro-quo and should be able to make headways, shouldn’t it? Well, not if you look [2] Closer:

…a source with Aoun’s FPM said “we are willing to go with the 1960 electoral law …. on condition elections are held within three months from now and under supervision of a neutral, transitional government.”

“Under supervision of a neutral, transitional government.” So we’re back to square one: It all goes back to kicking Mr. Seniora and his cabinet out, an Idea that March 14 rejects on the grounds that it will create a void in the Lebanese government that completes the Syrian plan, which has so far hollowed the Presidency and the Speaker’s seat.