Report: Aoun Might Obstruct Polls 'Constitutionally' If New Law is Not Agreed

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

In light of bickering among political parties to agree on a new electoral law that will govern the upcoming elections, reports said on Saturday that President Michel Aoun might use his constitutional jurisdictions to hamper the polls shall the parties fail in their endeavors.

Sources close to Aoun said potentials arise that the President could obstruct the parliamentary elections by using his constitutional powers if the parties fail to agree on a new law for the May, 2017 polls.

Reports said the elections take place in accordance with an ordinary decree not necessarily issued by the cabinet.

The decree must be signed by the president.

The constitutional powers bestowed to the President allow him to prevent the parliament from extending its own term, said the reports.

An-Nahar daily quoted a source close to Aoun who spoke on condition of anonymity: “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 President will not stand in the face of parliamentarians, shall they agree on a hybrid or proportional representation system,” it added, assuring that Aoun will not stand in the way of any agreement between Lebanon's different political components.

Political parties are bickering over amending the current 1960 majoritarian election law which divides seats among the different religious sects.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially al-Mustaqbal Movement, have rejected the proposal and argued that the party's controversial arsenal of arms would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party is influential.

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. But the PSP has recently changed lanes and shifted to supporting a majoritarian system.

Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.

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.

Comments 3
Thumb norma-jean 21 January 2017, 19:01

Cutie;

I am not good with names but Jannah told me Naim is a Houthian name which gives credence to your claims.

Thumb warrior 22 January 2017, 06:36

Aoun Might Obstruct Polls

He's done that all his soon to end miserable life.

Missing humble 22 January 2017, 11:56

Very...very well said.