JEZZINE, Lebanon: On the way from Sidon to Jezzine, the roadside is dotted with portraits of would-be candidates for Jezzine’s by-election. But no date has been set for the contest, with officials citing security concerns and residents blaming political machinations for its continued postponement.
The district is represented in Parliament by three lawmakers: two Maronites and one Melkite Catholic. But a Maronite seat was lost when Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Helou died in June last year. A by-election was supposed to be held within two months, but has been repeatedly pushed back.
A representative of The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections explained how the process should have played out during a meeting at the municipality of Jezzine over the weekend, entitled “A Last Chance to restore Democracy.”
A by-elections was supposed to be held to quickly fill the vacant seat but did not take place as the Parliament’s already-extended term was less than six months from expiring.
According to Article 41 of the Constitution, if there are less than six months left in Parliament’s term, successors cannot be elected to fill vacant seats.
The first parliamentary extension took place in May of 2013, when the body decided to extend its mandate by 17 months.
New elections were supposed to have been held in November 2014, but Parliament elected to extend its own term again, tacking on another two years and seven months. Security concerns were cited as the reason behind both extensions, as MPs repeatedly warned of the country’s precarious situation after the presidency became vacant in May 2014 and the raging war in Syria.
Now that its mandate has been extended again, Parliament is obliged to hold a by-election in Jezzine. As the law enshrining the extension was published in the Official Gazette on Nov. 11, a by-election for the district as supposed to have taken place before Jan. 11, 2015.
But Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk announced that the by-election would not be held before summer, stating that when the security situation is stable, an election would take place.
Khalil Harfoush, head of the municipalities’ federation in the southern district of Jezzine, dismissed the idea that the by-election shouldn’t be held and alleged that security concerns were just a pretext for its postponement.
He explained that Jezzine is one the safest districts in Lebanon and that both the Lebanese government and the security forces were aware of this fact.
“Technically there should be an election, because the law says that when a lawmaker passes, someone must be elected [to fill their seat],” he said. “We [believe in] holding elections without any restrictions or conditions. There’s no security reason preventing [the election], if there is a political reason then that is another thing.”
“The sons of Jezzine [should] elect their lawmakers freely and the citizens of Jezzine should accept the results democratically and freely,” Harfoush added.
There is speculation that political machinations could be a factor in the delay. Free Patriotic Movement Leader and presidential candidate Michel Aoun won the district’s three seats in the 2009 parliamentary elections, but they were contested by his March 8 bloc ally Speaker Nabih Berri. Media reports suggested that Berri and Aoun would prefer not to fight an electoral battle right now.
There have been accusations that the timing of another by-election has been manipulated for political reasons. Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt postponed his resignation from January to May, possibly as part of a deal to allow for the delay of the Jezzine by-election, as his retirement would prompt its own by-election in the Chouf district. Last week it was reported that Berri had promised by-elections would be held in both the Chouf and Jezzine in May.
Samer Abdallah, LADE’s program manager, explained that it is time for the Jezzine district’s 55,000 voters to demand an election.
“As an association, we fought long battles against the first and second extensions and we came here to Jezzine to listen to residents [express] their readiness to demand a by-election,” Abdallah said. “It’s the right of the residents of Jezzine to be represented by three lawmakers.”
Earlier this year, Jumblatt announced that he intended to retire from Parliament and have his son, Taymour Jumblatt, run for his seat in the Chouf.
Abdallah said he rejects the notion that a politician could decide when elections should be held or to suggest a successor has already been established for their seat.
“Talk of handing over seats is unacceptable – elections are supposed to take place,” he said.
Jumblatt has clarified that his son will run for election rather than “inherit” his seat.
Makram Ouweiss, the secretary-general of LADE, explained that the political class must be held responsible for its own negligence. “We are without a president; we have a Parliament that has extended its own term and by-elections which have yet to take place.”
“[The election] is a link between the citizen and the work of the democracy; this is why it is so important,” he added.
Many citizens said they have lost their faith in the ruling political class.
“There’s no need for elections in the first place, because lawmakers haven’t presented anything new except stealing and lying,” resident Maguey Abboud said.
“Where’s the care for Jezzine’s development? There isn’t one university or large school; everyone is forced to go to Beirut or outside Jezzine. Stop lying.”
No comments:
Post a Comment