BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun proposed that the Constitution be amended to allow the Lebanese people to directly elect the head of state.
"I suggest a limited constitutional amendment that allows the presidential election to be decided by the people directly over two rounds," Aoun said Monday at a news conference.
Aoun suggested that Christians would vote in a first round, with the top two vote-getters then facing a vote by all of the Lebanese public.
The presidency, which has been vacant since former President Michel Sleiman's term ended May 25, is reserved for a Maronite Christian under the National Pact of 1943 that governs Lebanon's political power-sharing.
Aoun also called for a new electoral law under which each religious group would elect its own members of Parliament, saying that under the current law, Christian MPs were being elected by Muslims.
Aoun said that his party lost in the last elections in many districts because Muslim voters "come in one bloc" and vote for the opposite party.
"This is not fair," he continued, "Christians are not well represented."
According to Aoun, no more than 17 MPs were elected solely by Christians, which contradicts the National Pact.
"The parity between Christians and Muslims is violated by the current law," he said. "But when every religious group elects its own officials, we are ensuring justice and fair representation."
"We are calling for our rights, not offending any other sect, just demanding the Christians' rights," he added.
Last year, Parliament extended it term by 17 months after the rival parties failed to agree on a new electoral law and refused to hold the elections under the current 1960 election law.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled for this fall, but with Parliament paralyzed by boycotts tied to the stalled presidential election, their fate remains unclear.
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