Date: May 23, 2018 Source: The Daily Star Lebanon:New Parliament to elect speaker: Berri, Ferzli likely winners BEIRUT: The new Parliament is set to convene Wednesday at noon to elect the speaker and deputy speaker, among other positions – with former Speaker Nabih Berri widely expected to be reelected – in one of the first stages of government formation following parliamentary elections. Wednesday’s vote comes a day after the newly elected Parliament began its four-year mandate, as the previous body’s nine-year term came to an end at midnight Monday. Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri is expected to take up the mantle of parliamentary speaker Wednesday for the sixth time since 1992, after a number of parliamentary blocs voiced their official support for him in consultations Tuesday. Berri’s 17-member Development and Liberation bloc nominated him for a new term as speaker, during a meeting Tuesday at his Ain al-Tineh residence. Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future bloc also announced Tuesday it would support Berri’s re-election. Former MP Walid Joumblatt’s nine-member Democratic Gathering bloc decided unanimously it, too, would vote for Berri in Wednesday’s vote. The announcements Tuesday suggest Berri will take a large majority of Parliament’s 128 votes. Free Patriotic Movement MP Elie Ferzli is expected to emerge victorious Wednesday as deputy speaker, against Lebanese Forces MP Anis Nassar. In addition to his own FPM bloc’s 29 members, Ferzli is also backed by Berri’s bloc, Hezbollah’s bloc and their allies in Parliament. Speaking to local radio Wednesday morning, Nassar conceded that Ferzli was the day’s likely winner. “It is true that the figures point toward an outcome in favor of Ferzli,” Nassar told Voice of Lebanon (93.3), “but we ran [for the position] out of our convictions and ideology.” "The important thing in facilitating the government's formation is to not raise the ceiling of demands," Nassar added in Wednesday morning's interview, noting that the Lebanese Forces bloc would "seek to have a significant number of ministers" in the new Cabinet.