Kataeb on Aoun's Proposals: Impossible Demands Will Only Exacerbate Crisis

The Kataeb Party criticized on Monday Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun's proposals to end the country's deadlock over the presidential and parliamentary elections, deeming them “impossible” demands.

It said after its weekly politburo meeting: “Ending the crisis does not require impossible proposals, which will only exacerbate the situation.”

“Out of our keenness on the rights of all sects and in order to achieve fair power-sharing, why shouldn't Aoun's suggestions be implemented for the election of a prime minister and parliament speaker?” it wondered.

Moreover, the party noted that any solution to the crisis requires calm and that all members of the national dialogue attend the all-party talks.

“This however is not possible as long as a party is engaged in conflicts outside of Lebanon,” remarked Kataeb in reference to Hizbullah's participation in the war in Syria.

Aoun called on Monday for a constitutional amendment that would allow the people to elect their head of state in an attempt to resolve the presidential deadlock.

He said there should be a “limited constitutional amendment,” allowing Lebanese citizens to elect the head of state in two rounds to avoid the same scenarios that parliamentary sessions are witnessing.

Aoun explained that his proposal lies in allowing only Christians to vote for their candidates in the first round.

The system then allows the polls to be held at the level of the entire nation to pave way for both Muslims and Christians to choose the two candidates who received the majority of votes in the first round.

M.T.

Y.R.