News

The Cabinet is expected to hold an extraordinary session today to discuss an ideal date for the parliamentary election following the constitutional court’s ruling that scrapped the National Assembly as the debate over the verdict continues among various political groups. The Cabinet may announce the election date today after approving a decree to dissolve the Assembly or postpone a final decision until the beginning of next week.

ssues related to the draft Constitution and ways to reach compromise were discussed at a meeting held Tuesday between Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki and members of Ennahdha National Constituent Caucus in the National Constituent Assembly (NCA).

At the end of the meeting, President of Ennahdha bloc Sahbi Atig stressed the need to find a common ground on conflicting issues raised after the submission of the draft Constitution, the Presidency of the Republic said in a press release.

Former Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay delivered several messages to parties of a controversy over the Gezi Park unrest, including the ruling party of which he is still a member, and made clear that he had no intention of resigning from his party despite clear divergences of opinion between him and the prime minister.

Since the Gezi Park related anti-government protests were sparked in late May, Günay’s usually ambiguously-addressed tweets appeared to be criticizing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for its approach toward the incidents. 

Caretaker Energy Minister Gebran Bassil blasts his ally Hezbollah for disloyalty toward the Free Patriotic Movement.

Bassil said in remarks published Tuesday that Hezbollah “stabbed both Tayyar [FPM] and democracy in the back” over the matter of challenges to the Constitutional Council.

The council, set to meet Tuesday, failed to convene twice last week after three of its members – two Shiites and a Druze – did not show up.

The FPM and President Michel Sleiman have each handed petitions to Council over the recent decision to extend Parliament’s term.

The General National Congress (GNC) has set next Tuesday 25th June as the date for the election of its new head.

With the June 23 election only days way, the Albanian government has approved a decision to raise wages and pensions by 6 per cent in a bid to win votes for the ruling Democratic Party.

Yemen’s Parliament decided on Sunday to refer Minister of Legal Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Ahmed al-Mukhlafi, to investigation over his appeal against the legitimacy of the Parliament’s decisions, while the Liberal bloc denied involvement in the signing of a statement condemning the Parliament sessions.

Key political parties have agreed to field Anwarul Haq Ahadi, the Commerce and Industries Minister, as their joint candidate in next year’s presidential elections, a reliable source said on Sunday.

Privy to a meeting held Friday at the residence of Haji Mohammad Muhaqqiq, the Wihdat Party leader, the source said General Dostum, the Uzbek leader, not present at the meeting, endorsed the decision when informed through the telephone.