Henri Helou: Aoun's Initiative Lacks Most Basic Principles of Democracy
Democratic Gathering MP and presidential candidate Henri Helou criticized Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun's initiative aimed at ending the presidential deadlock, saying that it basically calls for eliminating the other, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Sunday.
He told the daily: “His initiative lacks the most basic principles of democracy.”
“The MP sought to remove blame directed against him for obstructing the presidential elections,” he noted.
“He therefore sought to uproot democratic practices instead of bolstering them through his and his bloc's attendance of presidential election sessions,” he added.
“A strong presidential candidate does not seek to eliminate other nominees,” said Helou.
“Aoun's initiative was born dead seeing as it was rejected by all political blocs without exception,” he stressed.
The Democratic Gathering of MP Walid Jumblat will not abandon Helou's nomination, especially since he is viewed as centrist candidate, added the MP.
Aoun has not officially announced his candidacy for the elections.
The third candidate is Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, who was endorsed by the March 14 alliance.
“Aoun's initiative is simply an individual proposal that cannot be implemented in democratic systems,” continued Helou.
Moreover, he said that the Democratic Gathering was the first bloc to demand that the political powers agree on a compromise candidate in order to end the presidential vacuum.
“The initiative fell on deaf ears however given the regional developments,” remarked Helou.
He hoped that the local powers would avoid exposing the presidential elections to foreign meddling and instead keep it a Lebanese affair.
Lebanon has been without a president since May when the term of Michel Suleiman ended.
Disputes between the March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate has led to the vacuum.
Aoun's proposal lies in allowing only Christians to vote for their candidates in the first round that would pave way for both Muslims and Christians to choose the two candidates who received the majority of votes in the first round.
He recently suggested limiting the presidential race between him and Geagea.
M.T.
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