Mps Discuss Mechanism To Amend Constitution
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12/7/2007
Lebanon can slowly be moving towards electing a president in the coming days. MP's converged on Parliament as the majority and opposition are discussing the mechanism to amend the constitution so a new head of state can be elected. Sources have said that Parliament is unlikely to convene today to amend the constitution but the MP presence is for consultations aimed at reaching consensus. According to Amal MP Ali Bazzi, the house speaker has a formula, which can lead to amending the constitution. For his part Future MP Atef Majdalani said today's session is the last step before reaching an agreement between the feuding sides. He was optimistic that a president could be elected by the beginning of next week.
REP
Some Beirut residents remained optimistic today that a parliament vote to approve Army Chief Commander Michel Suleiman as the country's president would go ahead after months of political wrangling. But the outcome is yet to come. As deputies from the ruling majority and the opposition arrived under heavy escort at
the heavily fortified parliament building, the Head of the Future Bloc MP Saad Hariri and House Speaker Nabih Berri held prolonged meeting to decide on the mechanism to amend the constitution. Meanwhile, confusion reigned on the outcome of the session, with MPs from both sides giving conflicting statements.
Future bloc MP Moustapha Alloush said things are going in the right direction for a constitutional amendment today. But a senior advisor to MP Michel Aoun dashed hopes of any breakthrough. He said the opposition wants agreement on the future make-up of the government and other guarantees before agreeing to take part in the vote. Article 49 of the constitution stipulates that serving senior public servants must have left office two years before they can vye for the presidency. Legal experts say there are two ways to amend the constitution: the cabinet can draft a bill and submit it to parliament for its approval or 10 deputies can formulate the request to amend through a petition to the house. The vote will go ahead only if the ruling coalition and the Hezbollah-led opposition first agree
on a broad power haring deal, including the shape of a new cabinet. Political sources said the main obstacle delaying a deal was demands by MP Michel Aoun for a prime minister agreed to by both sides. Suleiman's emergence as a compromise candidate has set up a potential resolution to months of conflict between the
majority and the Hezbollah-led opposition, and is viewed as a neutral figure who can appeal to both camps. |
