Mustaqbal Justifies Aoun's 'Warning', Says Reflects Keenness for Stability
Al-Mustaqbal Movement justified the reasons that made President Michel Aoun warn he would use his constitutional powers to prevent the parliamentary elections shall political parties fail to agree on a new electoral law, assuring his keenness on Lebanon's stability and on the welfare of the presidential term, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.
“The President is unlikely to accept his term to begin with a setback of this kind or a failure in staging the elections and violating the constitution,” unnamed Mustaqbal sources told the daily.
“Aoun wants his term to reflect stability in Lebanon. Holding the parliamentary elections is one of the conditions for stability,” they added.
Over the week end, reports said that Aoun has threatened to obstruct the upcoming May elections if parties fail to agree on a new law that will govern the polls.
He stresses the necessity to hold the polls on time amid strong rejection of the 1960 law and term extension of the parliament.
“The President sees all options acceptable as long as the polls are held on time and the parliament does not extend its own term,” the reports have said.
The constitutional powers bestowed to the President allow him to prevent the parliament from extending its own term, reports said.
Political parties are bickering over amending the current 1960 majoritarian election law which divides seats among the different religious sects.
The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.
The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.
Source: Naharnet
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