Mustaqbal Sources Criticize Aoun's Threats over Vacuum

A warning voiced by President Michel Aoun on his willingness to obstruct the parliamentary elections and keep the legislative body vacant, were criticized by al-Mustaqbal ministers who described the stance as “unacceptable,” al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.

Prominent Mustaqbal ministerial sources told the daily: “Threats launched by President of the Republic about vacuum are unacceptable.

“Aoun's rhetoric will engage the country in a constitutional debate over the jurisdictions of the President. In addition to that, the President is behaving with everyone as if he is the sole decision maker and as if the reins are in his hands alone,” they said.

The sources that spoke on condition of anonymity pointed out: “Aoun's speech that vacuum in the legislative body is better than keeping the 1960 law or extending the parliaments term have annoyed PM Saad Hariri who believes that vacuum at an state institution is unacceptable.”

During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Aoun said he favors vacuum over an extension of the parliament's term.

“If I'm to choose between the extension of parliament's term or vacuum, my stance is clear in this regard -- I will choose vacuum,” he was quoted as saying.

Political parties are bickering over amending the current election law which divides seats among the different religious sects.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially al-Mustaqbal Movement, have rejected the proposal and argued that the party's controversial arsenal of arms would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party is influential.

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.

The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.

The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.