Suleiman Calls for Return to Dialogue, Adoption of Modern Electoral Law
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
President Michel Suleiman repeated on Saturday his call on political powers to return to the national dialogue.
He also demanded the adoption of a “modern parliamentary electoral law that reflects the spirit of the constitution.”
He made his remarks during a ceremony marking the launch of a youth political document.
“We will not allow the constitution to be harmed and we will work hard to hold the parliamentary elections on time,” he stressed before the crowd.
Suleiman lamented the current political state in Lebanon that “has marginalized every noble political act and the role of the youths.”
“The Lebanese are divided behind their leaders,” he noted.
Narrow-mindedness is the greatest crime that can be committed against man, he declared.
Moreover, the president called for lowering the voting age in Lebanon to 18 and age of candidacy to 21.
Addressing the youths, he said: “Don't sacrifice yourselves and Lebanon for the sake of others.”
“Time will not remain our ally forever. We must rise above personal interests and return to dialogue,” Suleiman demanded.
The March 14-led opposition has been boycotting government-related activity since the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan.
He was killed in a massive car bombing in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district on October 19.
The opposition accused Syria of being behind the murder and the government, comprised of Syria's allies, of covering up the crime.
01 December 2012, 14:44
24
Cannot negotiate with the ones who murder us. We will wait and see the elections, I guarantee the M8 murderes will lose more than one seat next time... Once we have an even larger majority than last electons it will be extremely difficult for Hizbshytan to try another soft coup again ... Who knows they might try the hard type of coup against justice but Lebanese and including most of the Shia would probably stop them...inshallah Khire.
Y'all ah let's work together and stop injustice and share evenly the wealth that's waiting for us in the gas rich levant.
01 December 2012, 15:42
01
There may be large deposits of nat-gas off the shore but it will be costly and take years to develop. By that time many other players will have their gas on the market depressing prices.
They talk about billions of dollars of deposits but once the costs and profits of the oil companies are taken the profit for Lebanese won't save Lebanon.
Business always likes to tout how great things are going to get but rarely do their pronouncements come true. Be careful about touting the nat-gas because it won't be the bonanza you believe.
01 December 2012, 14:45
52
"Head of the Kataeb party Amin Gemayel said in remarks Saturday his party would attend Parliament sessions but only to discuss a new draft electoral law ..."
Finally some sense. It makes no sense for March 14 to completely boycott the government when they definitively do not want to run under the old election rules.
March 14 is starting to realize that the current government will indeed stay in power until the elections and not be run out of office by Geagea and Hariri.
Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Dec-01/196838-kataeb-to-attend-parliament-for-elections-law-gemayel.ashx#ixzz2Dnsf8Y91
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)
01 December 2012, 15:53
01
Suleiman~
"“One of the main reasons for the reality today is that the Lebanese are divided as they follow slogans of their leaders without taking into consideration the facts of the socioeconomic crisis,”
Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Dec-01/196873-sleiman-urges-youth-not-to-be-drawn-into-conflicts.ashx#ixzz2Do9mTnJI
Exactly correct ... People must think for themselves and for the good of the country not blindly follow the agendas of those that would hurt Lebanon and the people.
01 December 2012, 18:19
11
Mr President, - what don't you call a spade a spade.
The Lebanese have BAD political LEADERS. That's why they aren't following them. You shouldn't either, if you want to make a difference.
If you don't want to make a difference, keep saying the same old thing to please everybody. By trying to please everybody, you are pleasing Nobody, and we go back to very low standards.
01 December 2012, 23:50
01
I don't think we disagree. Why isn't the president strong with Hezb & the thugs in the government? He's begging m14 to come to the dialogue & not saying anything about the other side, as if they are saints & good boys.
Of course we need to be driven by better ideas, but most political players have ideas of their own, and they include power, corruption, turf battles, lies, laziness, and foreign agendas.
01 December 2012, 19:23
31
If "the constitution" is what gives the Christian minority a veto on national policy, it's not the constitution, it's an absurdity. How many Lebanese believe that this peculiar arrangement is "the constitution"?
