Aoun urges parliamentary election commission to 'not give into any pressure'

BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun received members of the parliamentary election supervisory commission at Baabda Palace on Monday, urging them to be "ready to organize the elections on the scheduled date."

The elections are theoretically set to take place in May, but the date could be pushed back due to political tensions surrounding the voting process for the Lebanese diaspora.

"Carry out your duties in accordance with the law, do not give in to any pressure, regardless of its source, and be ready to organize the elections on the scheduled date, as the eyes of the entire world will be watching us to ensure the electoral process takes place in an atmosphere of freedom, integrity, transparency and democracy," Aoun told the commission members.

They had taken the oath of office before President Aoun, in the presence of Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar.

Aoun reiterated that "amending the electoral law is not the responsibility of the executive branch, but of the legislative branch, to which the Constitution entrusts the mission of adopting or amending laws."

He recalled that "the role of the executive is limited to implementing the laws adopted by Parliament." He also emphasized that there is a law currently in force, as well as a draft law forwarded by Cabinet with proposed amendments, adding that "it is now up to parliament to assume its responsibilities."

These repeated nudges to the legislature regarding the electoral law come as Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refuses to place on the agenda an amendment proposal to the 2017 law. The original text stipulates that emigrants vote for six specific MPs in addition to the 128 seats in Lebanon, but many parties are demanding this provision be changed so expatriates can vote for all 128 representatives according to their home districts.

Aoun also stressed the need to hold the elections "without postponement."

Hajjar is committed to "providing all the support and assistance needed to the supervisory commission so it can fully carry out its tasks." Addressing the resident of Baabda, the minister said he is "working to organize the parliamentary elections on the scheduled date, in accordance with [his] directives, hoping the commission will fulfill its role in this respect."

On Sunday night, in a lengthy interview, President Aoun said that while he opposes an extension of parliament's mandate, he is not against a "technical postponement" of the elections until the summer, to allow the diaspora to travel to Lebanon to vote.