Report: Salam Govt. to Assume Caretaker Role over Int'l Failure to Agree on New President
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The presidential elections are unlikely to be held in Lebanon given the situations on the regional and international scenes, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily on Sunday.
Diplomatic sources told the daily that the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam is likely to assume a caretaker role and take over the duties of the president should the elections be postponed.
“Local desire to hold the elections is not sufficient to hold them,” added the sources.
They cited the recent developments in Ukraine, Arab disputes, and the “U.S. escalation against the Syrian regime” as factors that will affect the presidential elections in Lebanon.
Some sides are deluded in believing that Lebanon is independent in electing a president, they continued.
The election of eleven Lebanese presidents over the years, excluding Suleiman Franjieh in 1970, was influenced by foreign powers.
Salam stated on Saturday that his cabinet “does not want to fill a vacuum.”
“I have said since the beginning that this cabinet is here for two months only, and it will focus on priorities such as the security situation, the issue of refugees, and the economic and financial situation in the country,” he reiterated.
“But our main priority remains reaching consensus over a new parliamentary electoral law and electing a new president,” Salam added.
President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ends in May but the Constitution states that the parliament should choose a new head of state within a two-month period before the end of the incumbent's term, which started on March 25.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced on Friday his candidacy for the presidential elections.
No other official has announced his candidacy, but a spokesman for the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkirki announced last week that the four main Maronite leaders, Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun, Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, and Geagea are all presidential candidates.
Aoun had remarked on Wednesday that he will not run in the elections if the Mustaqbal Movement endorses Geagea's candidacy.
M.T.
06 April 2014, 09:58
48
The terror party and its regional sponsor will not allow the Presidential elections to take place. They have used the force of weapons in the past and will not hesitate to use it again to disrupt the democratic process. President Suleiman is perhaps the most neutral and transparent President we have ever had. Yet, he is being attacked on a daily basis and branded as anti the terror party. This devilish party does not understand dialogue or partnership. Their arrogance can only be cut to size by military means...
06 April 2014, 10:06
76
What a lovely state of affairs... Foreigners appoint our governments and Lebanese politicians are all too happy to play the game.
Those same politicians, every single one of them, do such a rotten job that one of the highest aspirations of young educated Lebanese is "to get a visa to somewhere".
Yalla! Cheer for M14! They are you saviors!
Cheer for Hezbollah! They are you liberators!
Poor fools....
06 April 2014, 12:47
47
It is obvious that many of the posters here are either kids or mentally challenged stooges
06 April 2014, 11:16
25
5 minutes ago Civil Defense volunteers staged a sit-in in al-Minieh in protest against the failure to approve a draft-law on granting them full-time employment.
"volunteers" demanding full-time employment, the irony;-)
06 April 2014, 12:40
37
We have southern and FT protecting Lebanon from outside interference. Not to worry guys.
06 April 2014, 13:08
00
the only way to prevent outsiders (usa, france , Israel,iran,ksa,..)
to decide who is our president is a popular vote for presidency
outsiders can buy our politicians or they can pressure them butits impossible to buy all Lebanese people
god bless democracy (power to the people )
06 April 2014, 14:07
52
"The presidential elections are unlikely to be held in Lebanon given the situations on the regional and international scenes, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily on Sunday."
This report in itself and reprint by Naharnet are part and parcel of international interference. While leading against elections they wanted to blame M14 for any derailment. Now they resort to this "red herring" obfuscation to cover their true intentions.
06 April 2014, 14:25
00
Keep the OLD men with BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS out of the presidency. That will be the salvation of this wonderful country!!
06 April 2014, 14:51
95
Honorable PM, you take care of your post and Suleiman will be mandated for another 3 years to continue heading this country. If a jester like Emile Lahoud was given such a mandate, why can't one of the very best president ever be given the same. There will be NO vacuum, there will be no clowns like Aoun, there will be no warlords like Geagea, Suleiman, our president will stay if in case we Lebanese will not use common sense. Only Suleiman is keeping this country from auto-destroying. Suleiman, for another 3 years, 6 years, 10 years, till Lebanon finds back its brains.
06 April 2014, 17:23
15
FY
I see nothing wrong in Jnoubi's above comment. On the contrary I praise him for that
06 April 2014, 18:44
00
There is nothing wrong with what Jnoubi is saying at all. I share the same feelings. If you are Shia, it should NOT imply that you are this or that. I actually completely agree with Jnoubi.
I have agreed with Phoenix for so long but I don't agree to praise Bashir and say Geagea is a warlord. I thing both of them in addition, to everyone of these 4 who the Church is approving to run for president are warlords. I dont believe that the Church is NOT approving of former Interior Minister Ziad xxxx. I thought he is clean from all the killings that were caused by these 4 warlords, plus HA, Amal, Jewblatt, Berri, .......
06 April 2014, 19:08
02
Diplomatic sources told the daily that the government of Prime Minister Tammam Salam is likely to assume a caretaker role and take over the duties of the president should the elections be postponed........
That should be unacceptable to the Citizens in general and to the Christians in particular. When Parliamentary elections could not be held, extension was given. The Presidency is no different. If elections can not be held, then extension to the current president must be granted.
However, elections should have been held on time for the Parliament because only a legitimate Parliament can vote for a new President.
