Berri’s Doomed Plan — Part 1

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 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 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.