Sami Gemayel Calls for 'National Gathering to Establish New Lebanon' after Election of President
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Head of the Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel proposed on Sunday that Lebanon's constitutional system be reexamined following “90 years of a structure that has only deepened sectarianism and divisions among the Lebanese.”
He called for holding a “national gathering to establish a new Lebanon” after the election of a new president.
He made his suggestion before a popular meet at Beirut's Saifi area on the occasion of the election of a new Kataeb leadership.
“Should we experience similar unrest in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Sudan before we finally change the system?” he wondered before the crowd.
“It is time to acknowledge that the current constitutional structure we have been governed by for 90 years has only deepened sectarianism and created divisions among the people,” the lawmaker declared to applause.
“It is time to open a new chapter in Lebanon. It is time to elect a president and stop forcing the Lebanese to live in degrading conditions,” he demanded.
“Such a gathering should be held in Beirut, not abroad, because we should decide our own fate,” he added.
“We should decide whether we want a state or not and whether we want a civilized state or not,” said the MP.
“We must establish a new democratic state where all people are under the law and where they have the power of war and peace,” Gemayel stated
“A state, democracy, and the rule of law are the main components of the new Lebanon,” he continued.
“Let us build the Lebanon we want,” demanded Gemayel.
“We will not allow anyone to impose change on us by force,” he stressed.
Furthermore, he stressed the need to keep Lebanon neutral from regional disputes.
“We are fed up of being dragged towards regional conflicts every four or five years,” he said.
“It is time that the Lebanese people finally live in peace,” he declared.
05 July 2015, 17:22
02
One nescessary element for this would be to make. 2-chamber parliament - a chamber based on proportional representation and another with equal number of senators for each religion. Governments based on such a system tend to be the most stable since the meet the needs for majority democracy while at the same time protecting the interests of the smaller groups. If you look at countries like USA and UK you'll see this example. On the other hand countries with just one chamber try to makemupmfor the 2nd one with their cabinets, causing them to have a rediculously large number of ministers and little gets accomplished.
05 July 2015, 18:20
05
Well said Sami, realizing such a modern and Democratic Lebanon would be wonderful.
05 July 2015, 18:48
03
With all respect to Mr. Gemayel, the problem in Lebanon is not the constitution. If the political class followed the constitution to the present political impasse, then the present constitutional for,USA could be called to question.
But the opposite is true. The political class has ignored the constitution, put it on the shelf, and have followed their own political and, for some, family interests, to put the country in the spot in which it finds itself.
05 July 2015, 18:52
05
To change Lebanon, start with the problem, with the political culture. Start with ending the attitude that politics is about patronage, and therefore about turning public money into private wealth. And when the public money is drained, then seek foreign benefactors as sources of patronage money. The foreign benefactors demand a say in Lebanese public affairs and so Lebanese pResidents are elected in the capitals of the patronage benefactors rather than in Beirut.
05 July 2015, 19:00
12
When the LF runs out of money and Geagea goes to Saudi Arabia for funding touting his alliance with Hariri, he surrenders some independence to obtain funding and he needs the money to pay off his zilm in order to keep them as party people.
Then there is Aoun, the retired general who is funded from Iran and for the money gives Hezbollah cover as it keeps the Lebanese State and its institutions paralyzed. Aoun is trying to make people believe he is a reformer when he is actually riding with the greatest corruptive political force Lebanon has known, the Hezbollah.
05 July 2015, 19:05
02
sami is learning fast,b4 75 the kataeb were the main source of strenght for the presidency..army... and the state,are they coming back???????????????
06 July 2015, 12:11
01
نحو الغد نتطلع وبثقة عالية وحلم على مد النظر وعنفوان يتحد الصخر
رفيقي الرئيس شكراً أعدت لنا الأمل في هذه الأيام السوداء
آلاف الرفاق واللبنانيين يتطلعون اليك بأمل الكبير ويتضرعون ليحميك الرب
06 July 2015, 13:49
03
Sami is the perfect example why I so much believe in the new generation. I look around the globe and I see the new generations being give the opportunity to lead and this is paying big time. Sadly in Lebanon we seem to stifle their every move, the old generation wants to cling on to everything, one look at people like Berri, Aoun and others will confirm what I'm talking about. The new generation has the courage which the old generation lost ages ago, it has its vision which the old generation doesn't have anymore, let us in Lebanon have that kind of decency and honesty, and let the transition begin in earnest.
