Ex-PMs: Stop Attempts to Turn Parliamentary System into a Presidential One

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Thursday afternoon at the Center House with former premiers Najib Miqati, Fouad Saniora and Tammam Salam and discussions tackled the latest political developments, Hariri's office said.

“Lebanon is going through a deep political, economic, financial, monetary and socio-economic crisis. The situation deteriorated recently and threatens to reach a serious national crisis unless the presidency and its government change their policies immediately, return to respecting the constitution, laws and the interest of the Lebanese state, and focus on adopting the measures that can alleviate the suffering of the country and the citizens,” the ex-PMs said in a statement issued after the meeting.

“The current government, chosen by the presidential term and its political allies, has unfortunately turned into a tool for settling political scores and for revenge practices, and became a platform for throwing accusations and initiating conflicts in all directions,” the former premiers lamented.

They warned that the daily suffering of the Lebanese is getting worse every day, and will intensify, unless the presidency and the government “regain the lost trust locally and on the Arab and international levels, financially and politically.”

“Adopt a serious orientation and will to halt the economic, financial and monetary deterioration in agreement with the International Monetary Fund, as the only international institution that has become accredited and relied on by most countries of the international community, to give the necessary credibility to any economic plan that the Lebanese state adheres to,” they added.

“Approve the reforms that must be adopted without any delay, instead of diverting attention from the real causes of problems and fabricating political battles that will only lead to more tension in the country and will waste resources and opportunities to put an end to the crises engulfing Lebanon,” they urged.

Addressing the presidency, they added: “Stop the attempts to transform the Lebanese system from a parliamentary democratic system into a presidential system; stop targeting the powers of the premiership to make it obedient to the small ambitions or grudges of some; return to the principle of separation of powers, balance and cooperation between these powers; and respect the independence of the judiciary.”