Berri Faces Accusations of Violating the Constitution, and “Change” MPs Boycott Tomorrow’s Session

Lebanon Today

The “Change Coalition,” consisting of MPs Michel Douaihy, Mark Daou, Waddah Sadek, and Secretary Amin El-Sir, former MP Rami Fanj, has announced its decision not to attend the general session called for by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, next Tuesday.

This decision, according to the coalition, “stems from a belief in the Lebanese Constitution, which guarantees the rights of MPs and protects their role, in the face of those who insist on ignoring it through unconstitutional practices and exclusionary rhetoric.”

In an official statement, the coalition clarified that this position stems from “a concern for respecting democratic rules and preserving the status of Parliament as a legislative authority that expresses the voice of the Lebanese people,” and emphasized the following points:

First: The coalition believes that the actions of the Speaker of Parliament contradict constitutional and legal principles, and are inconsistent with the most basic principles of democracy and legislative logic.

Second: The coalition considers it unacceptable to prevent MPs from exercising their right to amend laws or the constitution when necessary, as laws are not “sacred texts or heavenly books,” and amendment procedures are an essential part of legislative work.

Third: The coalition affirms that the government should not be prevented from exercising its right to request amendments to laws, as this is considered one of the most basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Fourth: The coalition emphasizes that the right of Lebanese residents abroad to vote is a constitutional right that cannot be compromised or used as a tool for political bargaining, and believes that portraying this right as “targeting a specific sect” is unacceptable misinformation and incitement aimed at stirring up strife, undermining the principle of equality among Lebanese, and deepening sectarian division.

Fifth: The coalition clarifies that those responsible for marginalizing this sect are “the same ones who plunged Lebanon into wars and isolation and imposed partisan wills that disrupted state institutions and harmed all Lebanese.”

In conclusion, the coalition expressed its hope that “the Speaker of Parliament will return to the Constitution, restore the right of one-third of voters, and restore the confidence of the Lebanese people that their Parliament is still capable of upholding the law.”