Aoun Urges Mustaqbal Bloc against Boycotting Joint Parliamentary Committees Meeting
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun hoped on Tuesday that the joint parliamentary committees meeting on Wednesday would succeed in its mission, saying that his ministers will not boycott any of its meetings.
He urged the Mustaqbal bloc against boycotting the meetings, asking: “Are you simply acting as Sunnis or shouldn't you act as lawmakers as well?”
He made his remarks after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting at Rabiyeh.
“If the Mustaqbal bloc wants to act as a Sunni bloc, then it is free to boycott the committees meeting,” continued Aoun.
“If they want to act as lawmakers, then they should head to parliament and commit to the decision of the majority,” he stressed.
“The Mustaqbal bloc believes that its boycott will prevent the committees from approving a new electoral law, but they are mistaken. Its absence will not affect the discussions because a new law does not require consensus,” noted the MP.
He accused the bloc of repeatedly obstructing government work, stating that the FPM “had only once obstructed government activity” as did Speaker Nabih Berri when he suspended parliament when the other camp wanted to approve an unconstitutional draft law.
Moreover, Aoun said: “We will accept any electoral law that ensures the election of 64 Christian MPs.”
In addition, he rejected criticism that the Orthodox Gathering proposal fuels sectarianism in Lebanon, saying that such claims are not based on experience.
“Competition during the parliamentary elections, should this proposal be adopted, will take place between candidates of the same sect,” explained the FPM leader.
The joint parliamentary committees are scheduled to meet on Wednesday in order to address the electoral subcommittee report on recent discussions over a new electoral law.
The Mustaqbal bloc had said that it may boycott the session if government representatives are present.
The March 14-led opposition had announced its boycott of government-related work in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on October 19.
It accused Syria of being behind the crime and the government of covering up for the criminals.
Despite the boycott, the Phalange Party and Lebanese Forces announced that they will take part in the committees meetings in order to ensure that an agreement is reached over an electoral law and consequently guarantee that the elections, set for June, will be held on time.
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