Change and Reform Bloc Says No Legislation Except for Reforming Political System
The Change and Reform bloc announced after its weekly meeting on Monday afternoon that all legislation amid the presidential vacuum is “illegitimate.”
“Except when it's concerned with reforming the political system, such as voting on an electoral law,” a released statement read by former Labor Minister Salim Jreissati said after the meeting.
"And our priority remains electing a new president and reaching consensus over an electoral law,” he stressed.
"We underscore the importance of consensus and abiding by the National Pact in the coming stage.”
On Tuesday's session dedicated for discussing the new wage scale draft law, the former minister told reporters: “I have already said consensus is next stage's approach, awaiting an accord over this matter.”
"We need to continue communicating to reach an agreement over this issue, and then act accordingly."
Earlier in the day, Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun slammed the presidential vacuum, saying it damages the legitimacy of other state authorities.
“We tried to avert vacuum... Our principles, which were based on a series of national postulates, were clear,” Aoun said in a press conference in Rabieh.
He pointed out that the introduction of the constitution states that “any authority that violates coexistence has no legitimacy.”
The FPM leader told reporters that “vacancy at the helm of the presidency causes malfunctions at all other state powers unless the matter is linked to the country's higher interest or the re-establishment of an authority.”
“We will only deal with the parliament and cabinet based on these to principles.”
The Christian parties from the March 8 and 14 coalitions plan to boycott legislative sessions comes after parliament failed to elect a new president.
Aoun said that “no one has yet nominated him for the presidency,” adding that “when the real battle kick starts” he might run for the post.
On his rapprochement with al-Mustaqbal Movement, Aoun said that “when I become a president, I will head to Paris and bring (head of al-Mustaqbal movement Saad) Hariri back to Lebanon.
Aoun continuously said that he will not announce his candidacy for the presidency if there was no political consensus on him.
He said last week that he wanted to be part of an "integrated triangle" along with Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement, angering several parties for leaving out key political components out of his proposal.
“We reject to interfere in the local affairs of any state and refuse any intervention in ours,” Aoun stressed.
He also criticized the United Nations “that has no right to meddle in the local affairs of any country.”
The Christian leader described the election of a new head of state as a “necessity.”
“The country cannot go on without a president.”
He pointed out that his party is “seeking to end vacancy,” considering that “a president who is accepted by all sects and rejected by the Maronites cannot be elected.”
“We want a strong and active president to take power even if he had limited jurisdiction.”
Aoun denied that his ties with Speaker Nabih Berri are “tense,” criticizing the reports.
“They are mere rumors,” the FPM chief said.
Asked about attempts to extend ex-President Michel Suleiman's six-year tenure, Aoun said that the matter was suggested to the political arch-foes.
Lebanon has been plunged into a leadership vacuum after Suleiman's mandate ended on Sunday with rival political blocs still divided over a new leader.
Over the past two months the parliament convened five times to try to elect a successor to Suleiman but failed during the last four sessions due to a lack of quorum.
The political paralysis is mainly due to a deep rift between two rival camps over the conflict in Syria, the powerful neighbor that dominated Beirut for almost 30 years until 2005.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/132243 |