Report: FPM Says Constitutional Council Decision Will Not Avert Vacuum
The Free Patriotic Movement of MP Michel Aoun criticized the Constitutional Council's decision to reject its appeal against the extension of parliament's term, saying that the highest judicial authority in Lebanon has failed, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.
Sources from the FPM told the daily: “The decision will not avert vacuum at state institutions.”
The council had said on Friday that it rejected the Change and Reform bloc's appeal in order to avoid vacuum at constitutional institutions.
“The ministers and lawmakers of the FPM will not resign from their posts,” continued the sources.
“There are better and more powerful methods” to confront the Constitutional Council decision, they added.
“With all respect to the council, we believe that the highest judicial authority has failed,” they stressed.
“All justifications of the council indicated that it will accept the appeal except for its final decision,” noted the FPM sources.
“Filling the vacuum lies in holding the parliamentary elections on time and respecting constitutional deadlines,” they stated.
The Constitutional Council rejected on Friday an appeal filed by the FPM against the extension of parliament's term.
It said that the rejection was aimed at avoiding prolonging vacuum at constitutional institutions.
The council remarked that the extension violates the constitution, “but the extraordinary circumstances Lebanon is passing through forced the council to reject the appeal.”
Aoun later deemed the decision as wrong.
The parliament extended its term earlier this month until June 2017 despite the boycott of the FPM and Kataeb MPs.
Two others voted against the law but 95 lawmakers extended their own terms for the second time, giving them a full eight years in power— double their allowed mandate.
M.T.
D.A.
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