News

Sleiman opposes March 8 demand for veto power

May 01 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily News Star

BEIRUT: President Michel Sleiman voiced in remarks published Wednesday his opposition to March 8 demands for veto power in the new Cabinet to be formed by Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam.

Speaking to An-Nahar newspaper, Sleiman "rejected the demands for a blocking third but had reservations over the rotation of ministerial portfolios."

On Wednesday, the Beirut lawmaker briefed Sleiman on his recent consultations with the various political groups with regard to the Cabinet lineup.

Berri and Jumblatt to continue election talks

Apr 30 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily News Star

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt will continue to hold talks over the electoral law, sources close to the speaker said Monday, hours after the PSP rejected Berri’s hybrid proposal.

Speaking to The Daily Star, the sources said that Berri and Jumblatt agreed to hold more discussions to tackle the number of districts and MPs to be elected under proportional representation and under a winner-takes-all system, respectively.

Salam begins Cabinet formation consultations

Apr 09 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam embarked Tuesday on the difficult mission of forming a new government whose primary task would be to supervise the upcoming elections.

As part of a two-day nonbinding parliamentary consultations, Salam held a series of meetings with former prime ministers and parliamentary blocs who informed him of their vision for the next Cabinet.

Berri names Salam to form new government

Apr 05 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday that his Development and Liberation bloc has named Beirut MP Tammam Salam to form the new government.

“The bloc announced the nomination of [MP] Tammam Salam to form a national and consensual government, to restore peace among the Lebanese,” Berri told reporters following the bloc’s meeting at his Beirut residence in Ain al-Tineh.

“This is a new page opened by the former majority [March 14] toward the former opposition [March 8],” Berri said.

March 14 youth demand unity

Mar 18 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

Activists called on March 14 coalition politicians Sunday to unite and build a civil state, during the annual commemoration of the coalition’s founding at the Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure center.

The event held in Beirut, where activists, rather than political figures, took center stage, revealed sharp differences in opinion between key March 14 leaders on how to reform the country’s electoral law.

Mikati, Sleiman sign decree calling for elections

Mar 04 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

Prime Minister Najib Mikati and President Michel Sleiman signed a decree Monday calling for elections to be held on June 9, government sources told The Daily Star Monday.

The sources added that the step was a routine constitutional move and would still allow political leaders to agree on a new electoral proposal instead of the amended 1960 law used in the 2009 polls.

Berri warns against failure over electoral law

Feb 18 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

House Speaker Nabih Berri warned lawmakers Monday against failing to agree on a new electoral law as joint parliamentary committees began their discussions on what voting system to govern the upcoming elections.

The Orthodox Gathering proposal, which the president and Future Movement reiterated their rejection to, was the first item of discussion for lawmakers despite objections by March 14 MPs to do so.

Cabinet set to lock horns on creation of election body

Feb 11 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

President Michel Sleiman and March 8 ministers are expected to face off during Wednesday’s Cabinet session over the creation of a campaign supervisory body, a step some ministers fear would lead to holding elections under the current 1960 law.

The supervisory committee for elections is the first of 66 items on the Cabinet’s agenda.

Election fever high in Tripoli despite vote law debate

Jan 30 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

Politicians in Tripoli are busy preparing for elections, despite mounting concerns that polls might be canceled or postponed as a result of either the Syrian crisis or the debate that is still raging over which electoral law to use.

The degree of preparedness differs between candidates, but nonetheless, all are indulging in the possibility of running as candidates.

Future to boycott next meeting on vote law

Jan 28 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

The Future bloc will not attend this week’s meeting of the joint parliamentary committees on a new vote law in line with its boycott of the government, former Prime Minister Foaud Siniora said Sunday, casting gloom over the outcome of the lawmakers’ talks.

Siniora also said the Future Movement would unveil this week a comprehensive draft electoral law designed to address the Christians’ concerns, in the latest attempt to break the deadlock over which proposal best guarantees fair representation for all sects.

Qabbani blasts politicians for scheming to uphold ‘fake democracy’

Jan 24 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani slammed politicians across the country’s political divide Wednesday, saying that both the March 14 and March 8 coalitions are working to maintain Lebanon’s failing political system.

“The dictatorship of the politicians, the zuama [leaders] and the political parties continues to bless the sharp divisions between the members of this nation so that they [political leaders] can exploit them for political gains through lies and deceit,” Qabbani said.

Interior Ministry clarifies number of expat voters

Jan 22 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
the Daily Star

The Interior Ministry announced Monday that it had received an accurate list of Lebanese expatriate voters who wanted to take part in upcoming parliamentary polls from all of its diplomatic missions.

The Central News Agency reported that the ministry had received data related to 10,201 expatriate voters from 49 missions, denying media reports that only 6,733 voters had been registered abroad. The ministry noted that the number had been lowered to 10,012 after a thorough examination of the lists of names.

Christian leaders object to 1960 law, but fail to agree on an alternative

Jan 14 2013
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

Efforts to contain a wave of objections to the Orthodox Gathering’s draft electoral law have not managed to eliminate mounting doubts about whether elections will be held on time. Friday’s Bkirki meeting between Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai, Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun, Marada Movement leader MP Sleiman Franjieh, and Kataeb Party head Amin Gemayel was the latest of these efforts.

Preparations for Lebanon’s 2013 polls finalized

Dec 28 2012
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

Preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections have been finalized, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Friday.

“The ministry’s logistical and administrative preparations for holding the elections have been finalized,” he told the Kataeb-run Voice of Lebanon radio station.

Charbel said that the Interior Ministry had also prepared a list of the names for the committee that will oversee the elections and said he would send it to the Cabinet.

Mikati says to run in upcoming polls

Dec 14 2012
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced in a late Thursday night interview that he would run in the next parliamentary elections and stressed that the polls must take place on time.

"It is natural that I run for elections since I am involved in public affairs,” Mikati said in response to a question.

His comments were made during an interview with Al-Arabiya satellie channel Thursday evening.

Opposition against unproductive Dialogue: Siniora

Dec 07 2012
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

Former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said Friday the opposition was against Dialogue that leads to nowhere and not to the principle of all-party talks, according to a statement from his office.

“The March 14 boycott to dialogue is not a rejection to dialogue but opposition to unproductive talks in light of the security threats surrounding [the country],” said Siniora.

Sleiman postpones Dialogue to early 2013

Nov 28 2012
Lebanon
Source: 
The Daily Star

President Michel Sleiman postponed Wednesday National Dialogue to early 2013 as MP Walid Jumblatt’s ministers carried on with efforts to bridge the gap between Lebanon’s rival political camps.

Sources at Baabda Palace said the next National Dialogue session, the last round of which was held in September, was scheduled for Jan. 7 of next year. This week’s session had been scheduled for Thursday.

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