Berri Says 2009 Polls Will Bring National Unity Government
Speaker Nabih Berri insisted Sunday that Lebanon will have a government of national unity following the 2009 elections stressing that the country can only be governed collectivley to achieve "the highest levels of democracy."
Addressing delegations from Akkar and the north, Berri assured his audience that should March 8 win the elections "it will not govern the country alone. Our hand will always be extended to the others."
He said that the "highest level of democracy" cannot be achieved if Lebanon is "ruled by one party, or two, or three or even five. Lebanon must be governed by all Lebanese."
Berri described sectarianism as a "virus" eating into Lebanon”s democracy and criticized those who are predicting "the next elections to be the end of the world."
He said candidates must be voted based on their electoral programs and called for the "formation of a national assembly to abolish political sectarianism, the creation of a ministry of planning and setting the minimum voting age at 18."
The speaker lamented the dire living situation in the north saying the region was one of the most deprived in Lebanon. "It is impermissible for the son of the north to be treated as a terrorist just because he is deprived and is demanding his right for a dignified life in his homeland."