Constitutional Council Fails to Meet over Lack of Quorum
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Constitutional Council, which was set to study petitions filed against the extension of parliament’s term, failed to convene on Tuesday over lack of quorum, a sign that several of its members intended to validate the extension law.
The approval or the rejection of the petitions filed by President Michel Suleiman and the Change and Reform bloc requires the go-ahead of seven out of the council's 10 members.
But a lack of quorum would make the 17-month extension law valid after the end of parliament's mandate on June 20.
As Safir newspaper had quoted highly-informed sources as saying on Tuesday that the five Christian members are in favor of approving the challenges made by Suleiman and the bloc respectively on June 1 and June 3.
But the council's two Shiite members in addition to the Druze judge did not attend Tuesday's meeting to prevent the required 8-member quorum.
The two petitions were filed after the legislature extended its four-year term, pushing the parliamentary elections to November 2014.
The extension was the result of the failure of the rival parties to agree on a new law to govern the polls and amid the rejection of the implementation of the 1960 law that was used in the 2009 elections.
Change and Reform bloc official caretaker Energy Minister Jebran Bassil told As Safir that the polls should be held immediately if the half-Muslim half-Christian body approved the petitions.
He warned that if the council rejected the petitions then the polls would not be held based on the 1960 law.
“This is rejected. Any extension means (the approval of) a new electoral law,” Bassil said.
The council was set on Tuesday to continue to study the report drafted by its head, Judge Issam Suleiman, on the challenges.
But the lack of quorum seemed to be an attempt by Shiite and Sunni judges in favor of the extension to validate the law and postpone the elections to November 2014.
11 June 2013, 08:44
14
thank you Bassil Lebanon is blessed to have u and ure crazy father in law!
sayer mou7allel doustouri halla2? ya cha2fet mastoul!khalli mawadi3 el doustourieh wel 2anounieh la ness metel Mr Rifai ou ghayroun men el houkoukieh! khallik bi habalak ou ma tede3i el zaka allah ykhallik!
11 June 2013, 09:26
26
If the world countries would explain to Lebanon that an extension to the life of the present parliament is in fact a coup d'etat led by the present members. This would result in cutting off all aid until democracy (i.e. elections) return, then the country would be "awarded" pariah status. Only then perhaps would common sense win.
11 June 2013, 13:11
04
I love how the "responsible" people of our country take their duties so seriously. Let them please take their time. What's the rush. The country is only being led to the abyss while they sip their coffee and talk bullshit. If something like this happens in any other democratic country it would cause massive demonstrations. In Lebanon we sit and just take it. How we can let all our MPs play with our lives and livelihoods and not hold them accountable is beyond me. They should all be ashamed of themselves.
11 June 2013, 13:37
06
How about this, they can stay on two conditions:
1. No salaries
2. None can run for elections again
I know far fetched fantasy....
11 June 2013, 14:47
14
It may sound like fantasy, but you'd have elections .........tomorrow
11 June 2013, 13:43
12
Any time a group of people are elected to make a decision and they are debided based on their religion they are a religion council they cannot be a judicial political constitution or a scientific council. That's my 2cents
11 June 2013, 14:03
02
I had hope that the members of the highest judicial council in Lebanon will the have the dignity and integrity to act as men of justice and deal with issue of the petitions with a sense of justice...unfortunately they are but a reflection of the Lebanese people...a bunch of sectarian barbarians that have no understanding whatsoever of the meaning of democracy!
11 June 2013, 14:51
12
Where do you find the words dignity and integrity when it comes to this type of people. They are not interested in the future and security (I almost wrote - integrity) of Lebanon. All they are interested in is THEMSELVES.
I pity the honest people of Lebanon for having to suffer in this way.
11 June 2013, 15:14
02
It is just typical, isn't it?? When hard decisions are to be made by this Government, whether in Parliament or in the Constitutional Court, you can't find a quorum. Where are these people? They were elected or appointed to a position to perform a public duty, either as a legislature or a court. To govern is to decide. To not show up is to do neither. Is the "Shiite member" a Shiite or a Lebanese? Is he(she) afraid to follow the law, intimidated? Or just can't make up their mind.
It seems all institutions of the government are set up so that the easiest decision track for them to take is to a dead end, and to government paralysis rather than decision making.
11 June 2013, 15:52
01
Even our Constitutional Council is a FAILURE....what a shame...we need a secular Lebanon NOW....
11 June 2013, 16:46
02
When the salt goes bad what do you salt it with? This is how deep the rot is noow in Lebanon institutions. Thanks to Syria and Hezb who liberated the land but occupied/confiscated our State, progress, civility and prosperity.
11 June 2013, 19:19
12
whats new...nothing gets done in this country with no laws. The shittes got an order for the islamic dictatorship of south lebanon not to attend, since they will not be burried there lol..so they submitted to it. An auon looks like a fool for chasing the terrorists and iran.
11 June 2013, 23:42
00
Now that is a shock, all along I thought they will convene and perform their duties. As we all know, we do not influence judges in Lebanon, they all act according to their own conscience and beliefs. Pity the Nation.
12 June 2013, 00:42
00
They should be forced to attend, unless they are on their death beds or totally incapacitated, the security forces should bring their sorry asses to whereever they need to be and let me vote.
12 June 2013, 00:44
00
They should be forced to attend, unless they are on their death beds or totally incapacitated, the security forces should bring their sorry asses to where ever they need to be to vote.
