Naharnet

Aoun: How is it Treason when we Ask the People to Choose their President?

Head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun defended on Tuesday his initiative that is aimed at ending the country's presidential deadlock, while renewing his attack against Defense Minister Samir Moqbel over security appointments.

Aoun said: “We are returning power to the people. How is it treason when we ask the people to choose their president?”

He made his remarks after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting.

“We are giving the people power to have their say in who rules the country when their views used to be disregarded in the past,” he explained.

“We are becoming ashamed of what is being written about us in the media,” Aoun declared in the wake of the political blocs' ongoing failure to elect a president.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.

Ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls.

On Friday, Aoun launched an initiative aimed at ending the deadlock.

It calls for the election of a president directly from the people in two phases, first by the Christians, who would eliminate candidates and on a second phase by the Lebanese people.

Another solution would be a popular referendum and the candidate who garners most votes would be elected by the parliament as a new president.

The initiative also includes the possibility of electing the Maronite candidate who has the majority of representation at the parliament, while the fourth is staging the parliamentary elections ahead of the presidential polls based on a new electoral law that provides equality between Christians and Muslims.

Addressing the dispute over security appointments, Aoun added after the Change and Reform bloc's meeting: “The government is taking illegitimate measures and it is therefore losing its constitutionality.”

“If the government begins taking illegal actions, then the people can begin to act as they please,” he warned.

Moreover, Aoun singled out Moqbel, accusing him of failing to adhere to the law.

“We have addressed him in different ways, but it appears that he does not understand,” he remarked before reporters.

“No one should think himself too great to be held responsible for violating the law regarding the appointments,” the MP said.

Moqbel and the FPM were recently at loggerheads after Aoun decided to withdraw confidence from him over the extension of the term of the head of the Higher Defense Council, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Khair.

The military positions in Lebanon are suffering as a result of the months-long presidential vacuum in light of the parliament's failure to elect a successor for Michel Suleiman. The vacuum also threatens the position of Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous who is set to retire in June.

The tenure of Army Chief General Jean Qahwaji is set to end in September. His term was extended for two years in September 2013.

Turning to the battle for Syria's al-Qalamoun region, Aoun declared: “We congratulate the resistance on liberating the area.”

He stressed that it is now time for attention to be turned to Lebanon's region of Arsal, which lies near the border with Syria.

“The area is now under the threat of extremists. The government has to tackle this situation,” Aoun stated.

“The government must take the decision to liberate the land occupied by gunmen in Arsal,” he demanded.

“We want to know what is happening in Arsal. What is the government doing over this issue? What is the army going to do there?” he asked.

M.T.

Y.R.


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