Middle East News

Lebanese MPS elect Berri for fifth term as speaker of parliament

Jun 25, 2009, 9:33 GMT

Beirut - The new Lebanese parliament re-elected Thursday Shiite Nabih Berri for a fifth term as speaker of the house. Berri, who is a close ally of the Shiite movement Hezbollah and has been dubbed by some 'the speaker for life' since he has held the post uninterrupted since 1992, received 90 ballots, twenty-eight MPs cast blank votes, and nine voted against. 127 members of the 128-seat Parliament - comprising 13 political blocs and 11 independent MPs - took part in the vote. One MP was registered as absent. A government source told the German Press Agency dpa that Berri's election will speed up the formation of the new cabinet. Berri, will meet Lebanese President Michel Suleiman later on Thursday, to schedule parliamentary consultations to choose the next prime minister. According to the same source Saad Hariri's premiership appointment is 'settled business,' as he has already discussed the composition of the upcoming government with President Suleiman. The Western-backed majority headed by Hariri won the June parliamentary election against the opposition-led Hezbollah.

Middle East News

Lebanese MPS elect Berri for fifth term as speaker of parliament

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