Gemayel Lauds Salam's Role in Safeguarding Country, Criticizes Ongoing Presidential Vacuum

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel expressed relief over Prime Minister Tammam Salam's role in safeguarding the cabinet and the country's interests, reiterating the importance of electing a new head of state.

The Christian chief described a meeting with Salam on Wednesday as relieving, noting that they discussed all matters that concern the Lebanese.

“We are in agreement,” Gemayel said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

Salam called on the cabinet to resume meetings on Thursday after differences between the ministers on the amendment of the mechanism prompted the premier to suspend sessions in the past two weeks giving way for the cabinet members to reach an agreement on the formula, which he wants it to be based on article 65 of the constitution.

The current mechanism, which was adopted after the cabinet assumed the prerogative of the president in accordance with the constitution, states that ministers should give unanimous support to the government's decisions.

But it proved to be troublesome after some ministers resorted to veto power.

Gemayel remarked that he underlined during the meeting the importance of electing a new head of state, who is the key to stability in Lebanon and the unity of institutions.

“In the absence of the president article 65 of the constitution has no grounds and shouldn't be adopted,” Gemayel lamented.

The article's clause five says: “The legal quorum for a council meeting shall be a two-thirds majority of its members. It shall make its decisions by consensus. If that is not possible, it makes its decisions by vote of the majority of attending members. Basic issues shall require the approval of two thirds of the members of the government named in the decree of its formation.”

The Kataeb chief criticized the parliament, noting that it should only convene to elect a new president, saying: “Some officials shouldn't act as if the presence or absence of a head of state is the same.”

“Priority is for electing a new president,” Gemayel stressed, warning that adapting to the presidential vacuum is a “serious and dangerous crime.”

H.K.

G.K.