Suleiman Hints Constitution Doesn't State Representation of Political Parties in Cabinet
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman would be abiding by the Constitution if he formed a neutral cabinet along with Premier-designate Tammam Salam, political sources said.
The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published on Thursday that the Constitution does not state the representation of certain political parties in the government.
The president said Wednesday that there was a need to form a new government before March 25, the deadline set by the Constitution for the parliament to meet to elect a new president.
“I will seek Lebanon's interest,” Suleiman said in response to a question on the measures he would take should the deadline end.
“We must form a new government and come up with a ministerial statement, both of which need at least a month of work,” he warned after a closed-door meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki.
“Do politicians make the nation and unite it?” Suleiman asked in a clear hint that the Constitution does not state the cabinet should be made up of representatives of political parties.
“We have democracy and a Constitution. Let's implement them,” he said.
The differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances have so far prevented Salam from coming up with a line-up.
The Hizbullah-led March 8 camp wants a government in which it would get nine ministers similar to the March 14 alliance, while centrists would have six ministers.
But March 14 is rejecting such a proposal, calling for the formation of a neutral cabinet.
Officials described by al-Hayat as close to Suleiman have expressed surprise at accusations made by some parties that the president was responsible for the deadlock.
“As if they are not responsible for the situation in the country because of their disagreement on the formation of a new cabinet for the past nine months,” they said.
Al-Hayat quoted sources as saying that the first half of January would be crucial in terms of the decision to form another government if a neutral cabinet was not welcomed.
But the country would head towards chaos if the second government was also rejected by lawmakers, the sources warned.
26 December 2013, 08:51
37
NOTHING in our constitution states that political parties should be represented in the cabinet.
representation is in the parliament according to the elections and that's it.
the cabinet is formed by the majority as they see fit.
this is our constitution and every constitution in the world functions this way.
26 December 2013, 12:23
35
please continue this way. you prove to us all how stupid m8 guys are :) thank you.
26 December 2013, 15:20
21
Actually FT, what's the difference between hiring foreign companies or foreign "agents" ?
If all our politicians are agents of Iran, Syria and Saudi, then it's all the same.
None should be allowed to govern. Only a technocratic government should. I would actually wish for a foreign mandate to clean up the country from our political scum. UN should take over Lebanon and set it back on the right track.
No single politician (including your tayyar failures) is capable of tackling Economic, Social, Infrastructure, Education properly. The best plans they come up with our lousy or built to provide corruption opportunities.
So let professionals deal with it.
26 December 2013, 18:54
11
Better than street kids with 0 education and no vision for the country other than taking it over for themselves.
What is your leader's plan for Lebanon anyway ? Care to share ? How do they plan to kickstart our economy and create jobs ? With Iranian money and the "kezb" employing them ?
The very fact you put everyone against you in the "M14" basket shows you know close to nothing about them. Even within M14, there are many opposing views and plans but to you, they are all Saudis. Shows how narrowminded and brainwashed you are...
On the other hand, M8 is built on terrorist groups, dictator lovers, affiliation with failed tyrannic regimes with no single one of them being democratic and respecting human rights. Or the lonely wannabe dictator Aoun who would side with anyone just as long as they promise him a presidency which will never happen because they too don't want him.
26 December 2013, 09:29
00
Shock and Awe them Mr President! Shock and Awe,
khalliyon ma yefhamou chi.
26 December 2013, 11:50
00
but in HA constitution you can do anything while guns pointed to your head
26 December 2013, 12:10
43
I have wondered why M8 voted for Salam ... maybe they should have read the constitution first ...
Then there was their first mistake ... delaying parliamentary elections even though Aoun eventually was for it ...
What is clear is that both Mikati and Suleiman sabotaged the government at the worst possible moment for Lebanon.
26 December 2013, 13:35
13
It seems that the Lebanese cannot understand their painful predicament, that the gun rules the street and also parliament and the cabinets. What president said is perfectly correct and no one can make any detour over this, but what is absolutely clear is the fact that Lebanon has been ruled for decades by the owners of the gun, they will impose whatever WILL they wish on the state, the people, the constitution and the law. By the way, when was Lebanon really a state? The best status we ever achieved is the street policeman of whoever is given guardianship of Lebanon.
26 December 2013, 15:36
20
sure... before those against aoun and hezbollah were zionist but it seems the fashion has changed! now they are saudis or takfiris... tomorrow maybe they ll be turks or frenchies! LOL
26 December 2013, 14:36
21
mckinl M8 should not be worried about who to vote for Prime Minister because soon they will have no say in the matter and will barely be able to keep Nabih Berri on his chair. The clock ticks and tocks and more SAA criminals are buried underground, the weaker M8 and hezb gets. Times are a-changing my friend.
26 December 2013, 15:23
21
@FT : As you said, there is no such thing as Neutral.
However, you Saudi / M14 accusation is baseless. You're still extremely bipolar and incapable of seeing nuances in anything.
Not everyone opposing Hezbollah and Aoun Ghanam are SAUDI M14.
26 December 2013, 15:34
20
and there is a huge difference between being allied to a country and having pledge allegiance to a country like hezbollah... but narrow minded M8ers cannot see the difference...
26 December 2013, 15:39
11
@peace : those M8 traitors do not consider Iran or Syria to be "other countries". They believe Lebanon belongs to Syria and Iran. They are traitors.
They only consider Saudi or whatever other country to be foreign !
26 December 2013, 17:26
11
@FT : look in the mirror. Most HA members practically live in Iran.
And no, M14 leaders do not live in KSA. It's yet again a baseless statement. List them for me and tell me who lives there... I challenge you to elaborate on your lie !
Visiting KSA (REGIONAL POWERHOUSE YOU CANNOT IGNORE) is crucial to geopolitics the same way visiting IRAN is...
I challenge you to prove your point. Hariri is not even in KSA, he's in Paris ... but then again, he's a political refugee with HA trying to eliminate him ...
26 December 2013, 19:37
11
Are those threats ? Ur farsi masters trained u very well...
Blackmail and terrorism are iranian specialities...
27 December 2013, 04:26
10
i have a feeling lebpatriot is a gay boy they keep in the hezbo barracks for the fighters when they are feeling lonely and thinking about fatima waiting for them back in dahye. what kind of a man says "darling"?
27 December 2013, 04:34
10
Form a centrist government and deport M14 and M8 (ila el manfa). Aoun is already familiar with that experience.
