Parliament Delays Endorsement of Electoral Districting
Source: Al-Manar TV, 26-8-2008
Parliament decided Tuesday to delay the endorsement of electoral districting for the 2009 elections. The proposed electoral constituencies' law was referred to the parliamentary administration and justice committee. Thus, redistricting and electoral reforms are to be proposed at once by September 25, 2008 at the latest.
"What happened on Tuesday during the parliamentary session proved the previous attempts at obstructing the president's election and the cabinet's formation," Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil told reporters following the session.
"The Lebanese people should be aware of the parties who are aiming to delay the approval of their rights," Bassil noted, warning that this delay propagates tensions on the political level. "The decision to delay was adopted by all the March 14 coalition's members, and particularly the Christians within this alliance," he stressed.
Indeed, while Berri and the opposition were insisting on adopting the electoral districts as stipulated in the Doha agreement, the so-called March 14 forces were seeking to delay the process, claiming that the electoral reforms and districts should be adopted at once.
According to sources, intensive contacts were made during the past few hours in order to find a possible exit to the new political conflict. Speaker Berri reportedly received a phone call from Future Movement MP Saad Hariri and MP Boutros Harb, who wished on MP Amin Cherri, who had submitted the proposal, to ask for its withdrawal from today's agenda. Ain Al-Tineh sources earlier told Lebanese daily As-Safir that Berri will "not withdraw the proposal, leaving it for MPs to take the adequate decision in this respect, and let those who want the proposal withdrawn vote against it."
Member of the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc MP Anwar Khalil explained that Berri is committed to implementing the constitution and the internal regulation of the parliament. Accordingly, Berri has to suggest to the parliament the draft law presented by MP Amin Cherri concerning the division of electoral districts. "The parliament decides whether to adopt the law or return it to the specialized committee to restudy it," he told the Voice of Lebanon.
For his part, Cherri said that the proposal will remain in the session's agenda. "There is no legal, political, or logistical reason not to adopt it. On the contrary, speeding its adoption will give the Interior Ministry more time, and it will implement the Doha Agreement," he told Lebanese daily Al-Liwaa. "There is no legal relation between the electoral districts and reforming the electoral law," Cherri added.
However, while it's obvious that adopting the redistricting comes in the framework of the Doha Agreement commitment, MP Samir Franjieh believes the opposite. "Speedily adopting the new electoral districts without adding the reforms would go against the Doha Agreement," he claimed.
Meanwhile, Lebanese daily An-Nahar said that President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora agreed to postpone the cabinet meeting on Thursday to another date that will be set later because Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will be visiting Beirut the same day.
Sources also told An-Nahar that there has been some progress in the appointment of the army commander, and Baabda sources stressed that President Suleiman and Defense Minister Elias al-Murr are in accord over the issue.
For its part, Lebanese daily As-Safir said that intensive contacts were made among presidential, ministerial and spiritual parties involved in the security nominations during the past few hours, and the names of candidates were reviewed.
Sources asserted that things will be settled and a "consensual army commander" will be reached tomorrow. All candidates have equal chances of being appointed, not to mention new names that have emerged. But pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat declared that a final consensus was already reached on the name of Brigadier General Jean Kahwage to assume the post of army commander.
Parliament decided Tuesday to delay the endorsement of electoral districting for the 2009 elections. The proposed electoral constituencies' law was referred to the parliamentary administration and justice committee. Thus, redistricting and electoral reforms are to be proposed at once by September 25, 2008 at the latest.
"What happened on Tuesday during the parliamentary session proved the previous attempts at obstructing the president's election and the cabinet's formation," Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil told reporters following the session.
"The Lebanese people should be aware of the parties who are aiming to delay the approval of their rights," Bassil noted, warning that this delay propagates tensions on the political level. "The decision to delay was adopted by all the March 14 coalition's members, and particularly the Christians within this alliance," he stressed.
Indeed, while Berri and the opposition were insisting on adopting the electoral districts as stipulated in the Doha agreement, the so-called March 14 forces were seeking to delay the process, claiming that the electoral reforms and districts should be adopted at once.
According to sources, intensive contacts were made during the past few hours in order to find a possible exit to the new political conflict. Speaker Berri reportedly received a phone call from Future Movement MP Saad Hariri and MP Boutros Harb, who wished on MP Amin Cherri, who had submitted the proposal, to ask for its withdrawal from today's agenda. Ain Al-Tineh sources earlier told Lebanese daily As-Safir that Berri will "not withdraw the proposal, leaving it for MPs to take the adequate decision in this respect, and let those who want the proposal withdrawn vote against it."
Member of the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc MP Anwar Khalil explained that Berri is committed to implementing the constitution and the internal regulation of the parliament. Accordingly, Berri has to suggest to the parliament the draft law presented by MP Amin Cherri concerning the division of electoral districts. "The parliament decides whether to adopt the law or return it to the specialized committee to restudy it," he told the Voice of Lebanon.
For his part, Cherri said that the proposal will remain in the session's agenda. "There is no legal, political, or logistical reason not to adopt it. On the contrary, speeding its adoption will give the Interior Ministry more time, and it will implement the Doha Agreement," he told Lebanese daily Al-Liwaa. "There is no legal relation between the electoral districts and reforming the electoral law," Cherri added.
However, while it's obvious that adopting the redistricting comes in the framework of the Doha Agreement commitment, MP Samir Franjieh believes the opposite. "Speedily adopting the new electoral districts without adding the reforms would go against the Doha Agreement," he claimed.
Meanwhile, Lebanese daily An-Nahar said that President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Saniora agreed to postpone the cabinet meeting on Thursday to another date that will be set later because Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will be visiting Beirut the same day.
Sources also told An-Nahar that there has been some progress in the appointment of the army commander, and Baabda sources stressed that President Suleiman and Defense Minister Elias al-Murr are in accord over the issue.
For its part, Lebanese daily As-Safir said that intensive contacts were made among presidential, ministerial and spiritual parties involved in the security nominations during the past few hours, and the names of candidates were reviewed.
Sources asserted that things will be settled and a "consensual army commander" will be reached tomorrow. All candidates have equal chances of being appointed, not to mention new names that have emerged. But pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat declared that a final consensus was already reached on the name of Brigadier General Jean Kahwage to assume the post of army commander.
