Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Beirut (Agenzia Fides) - A delegation of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), political party led by former General Michel Aoun, met Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai and some leaders of other political Christian on Monday, to probe the degree of consensus that could coalesce around four proposals outlined in recent days by General Aoun himself to exit the institutional impasse experienced by the Country.
In addition to the Patriarch, the FPM delegation also met with Samir Geagea and Amin Gemayel, leader of two formations - the Lebanese Forces and the Lebanese Phalanges Party.
According to Lebanese media, Christian partisan acronyms consulted so far have expressed positive comments regarding the proposal outlined by former general Aoun.
To overcome the institutional deadlock that has prevented to elect a new Head of State in the past year – an office that in the Lebanese system is reserved to a Maronite Christian – Aoun has outlined four possible options. The first option, which provides for the direct election of the President on behalf of the people, appears less viable, since it would involve a preliminary amendment to the Constitution (which relies on the Parliament's election of the Head of State). Aoun’s second option would consist of programming a referendum to determine the presidential candidate. In the third option, the deputies would be asked to choose one of the two Christian MPs with greater consensus in Parliament as President. The fourth option provides for the adoption of a new electoral law for the election of a new parliamentary Assembly. The new electoral law - stressed in Aoun’s proposal - should strongly reaffirm the partnership on an equal basis between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon, enshrined in the Constitution and the National Pact. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 19/05/2015)
