New Election Round on May 15 as March 8 Continues to Boycott Presidential Vote
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Parliament failed on Wednesday for the third week in a row to elect a new president over differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances and amid warnings of a possible vacuum at Baabda Palace, more than two weeks before the expiry of President Michel Suleiman's tenure.
Speaker Nabih Berri set May 15 as a new round of voting after the March 8 lawmakers again boycotted the elections.
March 8 MPs and mainly members of MP Michel Aoun's Change and Reform bloc stressed to reporters outside the parliament that the elections would be held only if they became “serious.”
Aoun has repeatedly said that he would not announce his candidacy if there was no consensus on him.
“There wouldn't have been any boycott if the presidential elections were serious,” MP Nabil Nicolas said.
Lawmaker Alain Aoun denied that March 8 was obstructing the elections. Instead, he said: “We are not participating in unproductive sessions.”
Aoun accused March 14 of hindering the election process by holding onto the candidacy of Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea “who has no chance to succeed.”
“How should we elect a president who is rejected by the majority of Christians?” he asked in reference to Geagea.
In the first round of the polls, the LF leader was only able to garner the votes of 48 MPs. Fifty-two lawmakers from the March 8 alliance gave blank votes and then pulled out of the session.
Last week, the March 8 MPs boycotted the session, again resulting in a lack of the needed two-thirds quorum of the 128-member parliament.
Al-Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat reiterated the call for March 8 to announce a candidate.
He snapped back at lawmaker Aoun, saying his camp would be held responsible for a vacuum at the presidential palace when Suleiman's term expires on May 25.
Kataeb MP Nadim Gemayel also slammed the FPM chief for not being a consensual candidate. He accused him of weakening the Republic and the role of Christians.
Aoun “will take the country to the abyss” if he continues to hold onto his stances, Gemayel said.
G.K.
M.T.
07 May 2014, 13:07
134
Southern, this consensual thing you mentioned is now being over used and over abused, and sadly by both sides, M8 and M14 confounded, but in my own view at least I see that the M8 side excels in this art. Aoun is just an extension of this sad factor for M8, and unfortunately is lending himself to being over used and over abused by the alliance to which he subscribed into. What cannot be disputed though is this: that not the continuous procrastination and the push and pull by both Ms will lead us all to nowhere but to more disasters, if for anything, the very presence of these two arch foes, Geagea and Aoun are symbols and representation of the stubbornness by men bent on killing to the last Lebanese left standing. maturity should now be reflected by all the people of Lebanon, that both these men will do us all no good, and that it's high time now to table new names, not attached to any of the two M sicknesses.
07 May 2014, 13:25
413
Thank you M8 for FAILING to propose a candidate and showing the Lebanese what your understanding of democracy is ! BOYCOTT of the democratic process, deadlines and BLACKMAIL of the population.
M8 is taking our country hostage and idiots around here are still supporting these traitors who answer to Iran and Syria !
07 May 2014, 15:13
311
@FT : M14 is proposing a candidate while M8 are doing everything to prevent the elections. Talking about "blood" in the meantime, when every idiot is distracted by the elections, Hezbollah is commiting murders in syria where real blood, new and old is being scattered all over.
No one forced Ziad Baroud out and M8 is as guilty about this as M14. And although I would like nothing better than to see him in office, he's not the "Strong president" Aoun is calling for and that Hezbollah is against.
In fact, your Hezbollah is threatening Aoun once again today ORDERING him to stop talking to Hariri. What do you think about that ?
07 May 2014, 13:29
718
"Lebanon is consensual democracy....". Where did you get that from southern? Fine, if it is then shouldn't consensual democracy apply everywhere and to all matters for the sake of consistency in your argument. We all know that at least half of the Lebanese people (I am not going to say more to remain objective) do not accept HA and consider it a sectarian militia. Now, what happens to your consensual democracy in this case. I guess this principle of consensual democracy does not apply in this case... Stop being a fake in everything thing you represent.
07 May 2014, 15:51
122
As usual son of Mama Maarouf or also known as Wolf Rear, your contribution to human intelligence goes no further than your,...., lack of intelligence. But that's normal for you, what else, we're now used to you fakes.
07 May 2014, 13:35
37
Let's learn a lesson from the recent history past our 30 years of war. When has Sulieman the president become the bad guy? And a single group wanted him out ASAP.
As soon as he called things like it is and that M8 or Hizbollah in particular are lying to the citizens and undermine the state, then the president role has become wooden and he was rejected. This is how aoun will be treated or anyone who is aligned with the militia as soon as they take a fair serious view of the overall real situation in Lebanon.
07 May 2014, 13:58
114
Lebjack, nowadays I am fully inclined to support this view, sure, Suleiman's extension will be for us all a real life saver.
07 May 2014, 14:30
62
Stupid corrupt people with blood on their hands and a dark history are running the country
what a pity!!!!!
07 May 2014, 15:39
00
the only way to solve this issue is a public vote for the presidency
at least people vote will brusch aside outside interference and sterile political debate
god bless democracy
07 May 2014, 15:44
66
There is a precedent. When Amin Gemayel's term expired and no new president was elected, he made Michel Aoun prime minister, and executive power passed to Aoun as mandated by the constitution. The dismissed government headed by Salim Al Hoss didn't accept that and refused to resign. We ended up with two rival government: One in West Beirut (pro-Syrian) and one in East Beirut (anti-Syrian). Constitutionally, Gemayel's move was ok. The problem was that he appointed a Christian PM, and that violated the (unwritten) national pact (Maronite as president, Sunni as PM, and Shia as speaker). I hope that answers your question.
07 May 2014, 15:58
91
Jabal, that was Lebanon's day of infamy, when Gemayel made such a terrible decision. I also regret to say that most of our Lebanese politicians work by instinct of hatred rather than true patriotism. Amin's decision then was also dictated by his sheer hatred of Geagea. It all stems on that decrepit phylosophy of burn the nation, just to get at the opponent's neck. Isn't it what is happening right now?
07 May 2014, 15:45
74
Sorry FT I did not refresh my browser while I was typing an answer to veritas1 between phone call. You answered first, more concisely.
07 May 2014, 15:53
102
The thing that is seriously impairing this forum and remains an impediment to constructive debates, is and remains poor moderation. They delete posts that are perfectly legit, yet will accept to keep those horrendously stupendous and derogative. The mods of this forum know well those ruthless culprits who have absolutely nothing qualitative to contribute to this forum, they also know those culprits who keep appearing under multiple profiles, yet the mods' silence is truly defeaning. Such a behavior is most objectionate during weekdays when moderation is hopefully present, and on weekends of course I suspect that no moderation even exists!! If Naharnet will now make the right decision to work and elevate the quality of this forum into what it is expected to be, then I fear that it will go the way some good ones before it went to, down the drains.
07 May 2014, 16:24
01
march 8 is waiting for sleiman to leave the post before they do anything. they want to make sure he is gone so they can stay in control.
07 May 2014, 17:03
413
Why FT is Geagea banned from running? He can run for the position just like anyone else can.
07 May 2014, 17:28
414
m8 wants vacuum and all what is going on leads to that.
if m8 was serious, they would propose a candidate :)
aoun is the worst thing that happened to Christians in Lebanon: he is destroying their existence.
07 May 2014, 19:14
27
Here are your options in a DEMOCRACY:
1. If you don't want to vote for a candidate, then you can vote for someone else
2. There are 2 candidates at this time, they can vote for Helou if they don't wish to vote for Geagea
3. There is no excuse for M8 not fielding a candidate.
4. Disliking your political opponent is not a valid reason for not having your own candidate.
5. This is not Iran where only the ayatollahs can approve candidates. You cannot veto your political opponents candidates.
6. Blocking quorum is not democratic.
7. Not fielding a candidate is not democratic
8. Veto-ing your political opponent's candidate is not democratic
9. Having ZERO political platform is not democratic
10. Attempting to "select" a consensual president prior to a vote is not democratic
11. Even Syria, the model of presidential democracy, has given up on having only one pre-determined candidate. So stop trying to force that upon us
07 May 2014, 19:28
26
i agree with hezballah, fpm, snnp, baath, marada and ldm they boycott because it's not right to have a maronite christian president for the new persian empire that was announced a couple of days ago by by general yahya rahim safavi senior adviser to the islamic republic of iran's supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei with borders going from the lebanese/israli border in the west to the iran/turkmenistan-afgan-pakistan- border in the east.
07 May 2014, 19:38
312
-...flamethrower...-, when will you post anything remotely constructive? I've never seen you do that, ever.
07 May 2014, 19:42
210
I await the day when I will read ONE meaningful post, ONE counter argument, ONE credible or mature info from you, -...flamethrower...- , but alas!
07 May 2014, 21:10
00
Nothing is more serious than 50 Deputy voting for one person
half of the lebanese people are voting for Geagea if not more .
nobody can call himself a saint or tawafouki ,the othere must qualify him
3 if the election of a president must be done bel tawafoukia , we dont need any more majliss nouweb . then every thing is tawafouki lets save the 128 deputies salaries . and go home why then this maskara or maskhara
07 May 2014, 21:11
14
“How should we elect a president who is rejected by the majority of Christians?”
LOL then why are the M8 pussies not proposing their candidate? oh! yes so that they can block the elections under false excuses as usual...
poor syrian collaborators....
07 May 2014, 21:15
13
I suppose it all depends on what the FPM calls "serious". Its not serious unless Aoun is assured 65 votes?? And its not a serious session because Geagea has placed his name in nomination and has no chance of winning?? What is Aoun's chances of winning? Not much more than Geagea's. So Aoun's nomination will not render the session "serious" either.
