National Struggle Front Seeking to Challenge Suspension of Vote Law Deadlines

by Naharnet Newsdesk 14 April 2013, 08:41

The National Struggle Front of MP Walid Jumblat along with several other lawmakers are seeking to challenge parliament’s endorsement to suspend the deadlines set by the 1960 vote law.

The revelation was made by Caretaker Minister Wael Abou Faour, who is loyal to Jumblat, in an interview with An Nahar newspaper published Sunday.

“We are seeking to challenge the draft-law along with several lawmakers who have rejected it to preserve the constitution and the elections,” Abou Faour said.

“Several of the deadlines that were suspended included major constitutional violations,” he said.

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel issued a decree on Saturday suspending the deadline for submitting election nominations until May 19.

The ministry will resume accepting nominations on May 20 and until May 25, said the decree.

Candidates seeking to withdraw their nominations should do so before June 1.

Charbel issued the decree after it was signed by both President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati following parliament's endorsement of the suspension despite the boycott of the National Struggle Front.

Asked about the electoral battles, Abou Faour said “we have reached a decisive stage that forces us either to agree on a new law” that should focus on the combination of the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems “or settle the choices of holding the elections or postponing them.”

The rival parties have so far failed to agree on a new vote law, which forced parliament to suspend the deadlines of the 1960 law pending consensus on an alternative.

Comments 8

tomahawk 14 April 2013, 08:58

Jumby & his sharks are circling in deep waters again , hope there is enough bait to capture them off guard ..

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tomahawk 14 April 2013, 08:58

Jumby & his sharks are circling in deep waters again , hope there is enough bait to capture them off guard ..

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mckinl 14 April 2013, 09:56

So one can see by the actions of the PSP that any thought a consensus of the electoral law is impossible.

The PSP has been bargaining with M14 in bad faith from the beginning for an alternative to the Orthodox Gathering Law.

Jumblat will never consent to changing the 1960 Law, never. This constitutional challenge to the delay proves this.

Jumblat will do everything in his power to subvert the will of the majority even if it means destroying Lebanon in the process.

Jumblat is no "Kingmaker" ... Jumblat is Lebanon's undertaker as he now proves beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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lebanon_first 14 April 2013, 10:49

I dont see why we are giving all this importance to Jumby. He has 2 objectives:
1- He wants to control the christians of the mountain with this 60s law.
2- He wants to keep on his position in the middle acting as a power broker, for that, he needs the rift between M14 and M8 to stay.

But in fact, who does he really represent? 2.88% of the population? I say let us up his morning whiskey dosage and stop giving him airtime.

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mustapha o. ghalayini (Guest) 14 April 2013, 12:49

till now walid beik is the master of the game,after sykes picot annulation , its another day.

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Cyanide 14 April 2013, 17:56

this is politics.. plus how do you know that he represents 2.88% of population. you are being sectarian here. the 1960 law is Michelle 3ouns law not jumblatt's. and you call yourself Lebanon first? mate people like you destroy the country not politicians. stuff all politicians. wake up to yourselves and instead of arguing about this crap, go to the streets and demand your rights people. no electricity, no jobs, no future, no retirement, no pension, no law, etc.. and then you blame the foreigners when they interfere??

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