Change and Reform Ministers to Attend Cabinet Meeting to 'Tackle Absence of Appointments Issue'
The Change and Reform bloc deemed on Tuesday the omission of the security appointments file from cabinet's session on Thursday as a “legal and constitutional violation.”
MP Ibrahim Kanaan said after the bloc's weekly meeting: “Our ministers will attend the meeting to address the absence of this matter from its agenda.”
He declared that the absence of the controversial file disregards the principle of rotation of power in Lebanon, “which is needed given the situation the country is passing through.”
Furthermore, the bloc tackled the recently proposed survey to determine which Christian party or parties are the most influential in the country.
Kanaan explained that the majority of the Christian parties he had recently toured, except for the Kataeb, had supported the suggestion.
“We have taken its objection into consideration, but we believe that it does not violate the constitution and it should be held,” he emphasized.
“We must hold the survey because it will mark a positive precedent in Lebanon and serve as a reminder that the people exist and that we should turn to them,” explained the MP.
“The disregard of the people has led us to the situation that we are in now,” he added.
“We should no longer ignore the people or let them down,” he stressed.
Kanaan had held talks on Monday with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, and Kataeb chief MP Sami Gameyel to garner support for the survey.
“It is a democratic necessity to explore the choices of Christians whenever the need arises and there is no need to give this issue other dimensions or to claim that it violates the legal norms,” Kanaan added.
“It is unacceptable to keep Christians outside the equation at every juncture. We are supposed to be in a country that respects (sectarian) balance, partnership and the National Pact,” he underlined.
“The survey is aimed at setting the choices of Christians to consolidate them and tell everyone that we have candidates for the presidency,” Kanaan added.
He did not rule out the possibility of covering non-Christian parties in future surveys.
Baabda Palace has been vacant since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May last year.
The rivalry between Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun and Geagea is partly to be blamed for the presidential deadlock.
The two leaders had announced earlier this month a declaration of intent, which as a first step, will likely be put into effect through the implementation of Aoun's proposal to carry out the poll.
M.T.
Y.R.
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