Up to 110 MPs to Vote for Parliament Extension over 'Security Incidents,' 'Sectarian Disputes'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The extension of parliament's four-year mandate will likely be backed by 110 lawmakers during a session scheduled to be held on Friday after efforts to convince Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to support such a move failed.
Several MPs expected around 105 or 110 lawmakers to vote for the extension if they all attended Friday's session although its duration is still the source of controversy between different parliamentary blocs.
Rival parties have failed to agree on an electoral law to govern the June 16 parliamentary elections and the majority of them opposed the 1960 law that was used in the 2009 polls.
The lack of consensus compelled them to agree on an extension despite differences on the duration. Some blocs are backing a 15-month extension while others are backing an 18-month period.
The extension of the 128-seat legislature's term by up to 18 months marks the first time that parliament has had to extend its term since Lebanon's civil war ended in 1975-90.
The decision by Speaker Nabih Berri to call for a plenary session followed an agreement between most political factions that the worsening security situation has made campaigning and voting impossible, and that postponing it may ease soaring tensions.
Parliament's current term ends June 20.
A copy of the draft-law that was obtained by An Nahar daily said the extension was necessary given that the security situation “was affecting clearly and directly the normal life (of citizens) in vast areas and in most Lebanese governorates.”
“The transfer of incidents and disputes from one area to the other is causing deaths and injuries and mainly in major cities, which becomes an obstacle to communication between Lebanese regions from the North to the South to the Bekaa,” it said.
It added that political differences that are sometimes based on “sectarian” disputes are “threatening sedition” and could obstruct the organization of electoral campaigns and voting.
Hizbullah and Berri's Amal movement, which are Aoun's main allies, have failed to convince him to support the draft-law.
The FPM chief has rejected an extension, favoring holding polls on time under the 1960 law despite his objection to it for failing to guarantee the best representation of Christians.
30 May 2013, 07:58
08
What a pity. The political mafia is voting to extent their mandate.
I wished Suleiman would be more foreceful in rejecting this extension.
30 May 2013, 08:22
25
To hell with those useless politicans. !!! They had 4 years to agree on a new vote law and didn't succeed those guys haven'T achieved anything in 4 years. We would need a new revolution with the aim to eliminate this useless political class . It is our right to have elections in June !!!!
30 May 2013, 08:23
34
Exactly. And Berri is the biggest cheer leader of this masquerade.
30 May 2013, 12:32
21
lebanese politicians should reimburse part of their salary for incompetence and inefficiency.... they are paid to make laws and satisfy citizens need not the other way round....
my advise: DO NOT VOTE to show them you disagree with this MAFIA......
30 May 2013, 15:01
00
Sectarian disputes shall dissipate immediately after the term extension for the filthy parliamentarians is finalized. I can say the same about the security incidents, especially that the filthiest of all parliamentarians, the low life scum bag feudal warlord criminal Walid Jumblat shall stop firing his rockets over the heads of innocent people. No wonder the other face of the same filthy Jumblat coin, Dr. Arret 7akeh, hearts Jumblat over the unjust representation of an important denomination of Lebanese, namely the equally-filthy Jumblatists!
30 May 2013, 15:24
01
For once, I agree with the FPM position. This is the highjacking of what was left of the Lebanese Democracy to suspend regularly scheduled elections and for what? Is the country at war? No, Syria is at war and so public life in Lebanon must be suspended, is this it?? I thought that the purpose of the Cedar Revolution and M14 was to disconnect Lebanon from Syria so that the two states could live side by side but one independent of the other.
30 May 2013, 15:26
02
This political class is rotten to its very core. It is making self fulfilling prophesies to say that the war next door makes elections in Lebanon not possible.
The fact of the matter is that the war next door can cause instability in Lebanon IF its regular democratic processes are interrupted and this rotten political class has obliged by interrupting the regular process and suspending elections. The first time since the 1975 War ended. It is a dirty shame put on Lebanon by money dirtied politicians from a rotten political class.
I say, put them all on a bus and send them to Qaysar so that Lebanon can be rid of the whole bunch of them.
30 May 2013, 17:33
00
Is the security situation today worse than during the civil war to justify the extension...Have u noticed they said: they cannot campaign as if they don't know who is to be re-elected... they already have the names for the new parliament just waiting for the right signals from abroad...walla ya ammi hallballad ma fe minno bil dinyah killa....even Bangladesh had a better govenment and parliment.
