A democratic choice outside democracy

This is what the French are marketing in Lebanon and Syria: a mechanism by which the Maronite patriarch names 5 presidential candidates, who would then be reduced to two by Hariri and Berri, before parliament convenes to choose one.

According to al-Hayat, Sarkozy's envoy was in Lebanon seeking "guarantees" that the said mechanism would "succeed", having reached an agreement with Syrian President Bashar Assad to facilitate the election of the president (by allowing Berri to convene parliament).

The problem, according to al-Hayat, is that both Michel Aoun and many in March 14 (except Hariri) think it's a lousy idea, because, they believe, it's not the church's job to nominate presidents. The patriarch himself seems to be hesitant, not wanting to produce a list for the consumption of non-Christians.

We'd be wasting our time if we started analyzing the hesitation of Sfeir, and even the constitutionality of such a move, which anyone should agree it overrides the Lebanese parliament and places faith in foreign intentions. For, and as An-Nahar reported the whole initiative depends on the good intentions of Bashar Assad (An-Nahar described it as a "test" for the regime). Will he or won't he let the Christians' choices reach parliament? Of course, just formulating it as such suggests ignorance. For the Assad regime knows very well that the Christians can never agree on a candidate, let alone a list to be distilled by Berri and Hariri. Aoun and others have been making sure a consensus could never be reached.  Geagea is right when he quoted the patriarch as saying that some are using Bkirki as an excuse, falsely pinning all hopes on the church's choice when the solution could not be more obvious: go to parliament, and choose a candidate there.   

Starting Monday, the world will converge on Lebanon to pressure the Lebanese to agree on a list of candidates, Sarkozy style (sadly, not French style, for that is not French democracy we see here). Also on Monday, a session to elect a president will probably not take place, awaiting the terrorist to pass a test he failed many times. Somewhere along the way, in between assassinations and mass terror, much of the world forgot that for democracy to work, democratic choices need to be made.

Comments

[ghassan karam]

in the best of all possible worlds the Lebanese MP's would just go to the parliament and vote their conscience. That is what they are expected to dd. To the best of my knowledge the Lebanese constitution is silent on the process of nominations. This can only imply that any maronite Lebanese has the right to stand for the office and that it is up to the MP to make the final choice.
If one agrees with the above then that leaves ample room for anyperson or institution for that matter to nominate whoever they want provided the nominees meet the minimum legal requirement of being Lebanese , maronite etc... There is nothing wrong for Bkirki or any other institution to make suggestions and for Hariri and Beri to make their recommendations provided in the final analysis the MP's vote their conscience. How many, if any, are willing to do that? I have a feeling that not many will do that?

[AK]

I think the issue is that there are candidates, and nothing is stopping others from running. However, Waiting for assurances and guarantees before an election can be held, and assigning the task of nominations exclusively to the church, is not only anti-democratic, but also violates the constitution, which does not call for the suspension of parliamentary activity until a "consensus" or agreement is reached. That's the point I was trying to make.

[ghassan karam]

What is undemocratic about the Lebanese system is not the fact that the nominations process is ambiguous but it is the fact that the system is sectarian. Even some sectarian systems are less undemocratic than others. Giving the Presidency to a Maronite, the Premiership to a Sunni and the Speaker of the House to a Shia is discriminatory but what makes it egregious is that each of the three is chosen not for his/her Lebanese national credentials but for the loyalty to their tribe. But given what we have at the moment then I am of the opinion that open nominations do not undermine the system, it is the ultimate environment under which the votes are cast that is the litmus test. Our clowns/rascals have repeatedly failed that test.

[Shunkleash]

AK...post...good.

The french seem to be playing an old game! It is awfully reminiscent of the game they, along with the yanquis, played back in the 70's and early 80's. The old HEDGE game is back y'all! The froggies are masters at it and its simple. We are everyones friend so that no matter who wins...WE TIGHT YO!! That way there is a permanent market for their products (especially the weapons). Trust me guys no one is stupid...every last one abides by the realist motto...even if they don't admit it. Better the devil you know than the saint you don't. A real pity since we the sheeple(BV) are left to eat the shit off the fan!

Anyway GK and AK the two of you are missing something! Since when has the doctrine of seperation of church and state ever been practiced in lebanon? The whole bloody place is either a church or a mosque, that is why the morons in power see absolutely nothing wrong with Sfeir getting involved in the first place. Furthermore, it takes the tedious task of acting responsibly out of the hands of those in whom the peoples trust is placed and puts it into the hands of one of the least qualified to make the decision. In fact, as I recall he (sfeir) is one of the architects of the current predicament we are facing.

On the question of this whole democracy thingy, ive noticed today that Abu Arz (Etienne Skr) has made an appearance announcing himself as a candidate. Ironically, for a person so bald facedly marginalised because of his "extremist" views he actually is the ONLY "candidate" who has actually put forward a platform that is honest and straight forward...go figure. Those darned extremists they always seem to surprise us. By the way, for pure guts he gets my vote.

Well, monday is almost upon us and the latest letter from home has confirmed what everyone already knows...George Hamilton (or should I say Greg Louganis) gets to spend one more week in the pool totally unmolested and unconcerned at the goings on down the hill. Ain't life grand when you are two bit vacuous twatty hole?

I hope when this is all over and something that looks and smells like democracy begins to be practiced in lebanon that lahoud will be huniliated and will beg for an appoinment with Dr. Kevorkian, Nabhi Berri finds himself permanently out of a job and living with fada lalala-lalala, Wiam Wahhab is in prison and Claoun is playing houdini trying to escape the straight jacket he is put in. As for fat bearded "british meat ball" he will remain locked away in the cellar of the iranian embassy getting foot massages from imad mustapha. As the rest who cares...they can all rot in hell.

As the prophet Ali G once said "RASPECK" to all!

Ayesh Lubnan

[Danny]

Guys I think something has to be in the "batrak"'s oven. A whole lot of smokescreens...I do not know what or who to believe! As far as the nomination list goes, I do not think it would be made public for the fear of its members being "nullified" by our sisterly neighbours. The "goatee" and his dumb neighbor in "Teeneh" seem too relaxed....??? Poor Lebanon, you have been sold out!!

[Shunkleash]

Danny "sold out" LOL!!! IBE! I can't believe you said that!?!?! DUDE! WE are the biggest whores on the planet WE dont get SOLD OUT! NO! NO! NO! WE SELL OUT!

Ayesh Lubnan

[Vox P.]

Just elect a president at a simple majority and give the finger to Hezbozo.

[JoseyWales]

-As we know the new date set by Berri and I guess accepted by Sfeir-Eir-b'Deir is unlawful (I just blogged on that)

-The next nightmare, for those who still care, will be: Ok, now we have a name or two. How can we make sure the MPs in the chamber won't change their minds at the last minute and vote freely for Bozo the Clown as they have a right to.

Trust me. We'll have a name in two weeks and then we'll be spending 2008 arguing over the mechanics with Lahoud still Baabda, and Sfeir and Berri still passing notes to one another like giggly fucking little school girls.

[Bad Vilbel]

I must agree with AK on this one.

In an ideal world, sure, Ghassan, the MPs vote their conscience, and anyone can nominate candidates, including the Church.

But we both know that is NOT what's going on here. The MPs will not vote their conscience. They will vote for whoever they are told to vote for, once the "consensus" is reached.

The constitution - that old piece of toilet paper that's been brown with our leaders' crap for years now - is being violated and outright abrogated here.

These bozos have basically decided that the process for electing a president is:
1- Sfeir pick 5 names.
2- Opposition and Hariri narrow the list to 2.
3- The MPs "choose" (i'll cut of my wang if they actually CHOOSE anything) one of those 2.

To me, this delegates the role of parliament to "rubber stamping". Very much like the Syrian parliament, or other such bodies in totalitarian states.

Sure, from a TECHNICAL standpoint, no one is violating the constitution. But in spirit, and in practice, the constitution has been made irrelevant once this process is adopted.
Then again, "from a TECHNICAL standpoint", Syria is a democracy, where the parliament votes for laws and presidents. Right?

The fact that this charade is allowed to continue once again proves to me that Lebanon is a failed state by all accounts. We might as well fly a flag that's a hybrid of the Syrian, French, Iranian and American flags, while we're at it. Make Damascus and Paris the rotating adminstrative capitols of what will now be called "the Lebanese province" and let the Syrian troops back in. I really don't see the point of pretending we have a state, when we really don't. Drop the pretense already.

[ghassan karam]

BV
We are not in disagreement, I guess we are saying the same thing but in different ways. My point is that our ire should not be directed at those that "nominate" but at those that have abdicated their responsibilities to carry on their constitutionally mandated functions of holding regular parliamentary meetings and taking care of the nations business. One of their most sacred duties is to hold a convocation and elect a president no matter how many are standing for the position. Unfortunately our MP's are just as bad as we all are; why should they be betterthan the people that they represent? Our MP's seem to have performed only one function over the past two and a half years; cash their fat monthly checks in return for doing nothing. They will await their orders from whichever camp they belong to and they will allow the stench to suffocate us. Ultimately , as we have stated many times before, it is our failure for allowing this state of affairs to continue. Would we ever hold anyone accountable or is it doomed to continue to be a land where feudal lords can do whatever they want and we the sheep will even cheer them on as they lead us to our destruction. And yet many argue that we are modern, educated, free, responsible and democratic. What a crock !!

[Bad Vilbel]

Ghassan,

We definitely agree.

And check out this new high in irony, courtesy of El Beardo Nassrallah:

"Nasrallah called for early parliamentary elections in the event that consensus was not reached before the end of Lahoud's term, which runs out Nov.24,
adding that the one who wins with majority would choose the next president provided that the minority ensurse a two-third quorum for the elections. "

Anyone else thinks it's funny that he wants the majority in the next parliament to choose the president, but refuses to let the CURRENT majority to do exactly that?

Nice try, beardface!