Why Mr. Berri’s latest suggestion of exchanging the 1960s law for the presidency won’t go anywhere.
Yet another time wasting “initiative”
On the surface, Mr. Berri’s proposal made this morning to Assafir (always Assafir) is worth looking into. Sure the 1960s law has many flaws, but on balance, the benefits of having a new president surely outweigh the disadvantages of a half-century-old electoral law. In fact, Mr. Berri’s proposal even got FM’s member Mustapha Allouch to promise that March 14 will “look into it”.
The proposal seems like a simple quid-pro-quo and should be able to make headways, shouldn’t it? Well, not if you look Closer:
…a source with Aoun’s FPM said “we are willing to go with the 1960 electoral law …. on condition elections are held within three months from now and under supervision of a neutral, transitional government.”
“Under supervision of a neutral, transitional government.” So we’re back to square one: It all goes back to kicking Mr. Seniora and his cabinet out, an Idea that March 14 rejects on the grounds that it will create a void in the Lebanese government that completes the Syrian plan, which has so far hollowed the Presidency and the Speaker’s seat.
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The beirut spring is a blog that is interested in Lebanese society and its politics. It started in February 2005 after the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
April 11th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
The real issue and the most important thing for the opposition isn’t the presidential elections, but it is the 2009 elections for parliament.
All the havoc they produce now is intended to conceal their prime target.
That is why it would be a mistake if M14 falls in the trap of linking the 2 issues, and/or make concessions to “promote” the electing of a president.
The focus has to be on the 2009 elections, because this is the only means for the opposition to gain power.
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April 11th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
If the March 14 is so confident of having the most support from its people, why is it so scared?
did it feel lucky the first time it won? I hope not. I hope all Lebanese are Liberal thinking and neither Pro-East, nor West, we are an entity on our own. If foreigners are willing to help us, without conditions, they are welcome to help this tiny multicultural nation.
April 11th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Jester,
you speak like an Orange…Anytime you do not get your way; call the other chicken…These people were ELECTED by people; WHY ARE YOU SCARED in letting the democratic process go forward!!
April 11th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
So how do the opposition supporters reconcile the claim that it’s M14 that’s hampering the election of a new president (that’s what Aoun and Berri keep repeating), but at the same time, Berri says “Give us 1960 law, we’ll give you a president.” ?
Doesn’t that statement pretty much say that Berri and his gang are indeed the ones preventing the election of a president? I mean for them to “give us” a president means they’re the ones who’ve been withholding said president this whole time. Right?
(Yet somehow, I still expect the usual idiots to miss the obvious contradictions in Berri’s comments)
Secondly,
Why is it acceptable, to ANYONE, that electoral laws, government seats, or anything else, be used as a bargaining chip for the election of a president? Things like this should not be negotiable. That’s why we have a constitution that tells us how a president gets elected (and it is not contingent on electoral laws, or on the price of tea in China for that matter).
Lastly, it is the job of PARLIAMENT to legislate (which includes new electoral laws). It is also the job of parliament to elect a new president. Howcome asshat Berri wants to discuss these things while closing the doors to parliament? What’s the point of having a parliament, a president, or a country, if really, Lebanon decides on its leaders and its power allotments outside of said state institutions? Let’s just be done with it and call it a monarchy or something.