Nabih Berry said his Liberation and Development parliamentary bloc would not give a vote of confidence for a new government excluding Hezbollah. (File photo: Reuters)
Lebanese parliament speaker warns against excluding Hezbollah
Nabih Berry warns that excluding Hezbollah from government would result in a no-confidence vote
The Lebanese parliament speaker and head of the Shiite Amal movement said on Thursday that a new government excluding Hezbollah “will fail and will not get a vote of confidence in parliament,” pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat reported.
Nabih Berry said his Liberation and Development parliamentary bloc, as well as MP Walid Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party, would not give a vote of confidence for such a government.
Earlier this week, Berry had cautioned against any cabinet “that violates national consensus,” saying it could be dangerous to the country, Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper reported.
A new 14-member cabinet is due to be formed before Jan. 25, as agreed between President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam.
