REPORT: Constitutional Council fails to reach quorum, sets next Tuesday as a date for next session

The Constitutional Council failed on Wednesday to reach quorum, for the second day in a row, to discuss the report prepared by the Council's head Judge Issam Sleiman in regards to the two appeals submitted by President Michel Sleiman and the Change and Reform bloc against the extension of parliament's mandate.             

In this context, seven members of the council attended while 3 others boycotted the session.                         

Accordingly, the council set next Tuesday as a date for its next session, stressing that contacts are ongoing with the absent members.                               

This as several civil society activists held a sit-in before the Constitutional Council denouncing the “sectarian pressure exerted against council members”.              

The protesters called on the Constitutional Council to annul the law pertaining to the extension of parliament’s mandate, adding that they will organize a massive protest set for the 20th of June.

The Lebanese Constitutional Council was established in 1994 and came as a direct result of the Taif accord.                

The Council is entrusted to supervise the constitutionality of laws along with electoral appeals and the examination of conflicts arising from elections.                  

On Friday the 31st of May, 97 parliamentarians ratified a law to extend the current parliament's mandate until the 20th of November 2014.                       

The session was held amid the discontent of several civil society groups who gathered before Nejmeh Square pelting lawmakers with tomatoes in protest of the decision.                    

The Free Patriotic Movement boycotted the session, announcing that they would file an appeal to the Constitutional Council.                     

Similarly, President Michel Sleiman also vowed to fight the said law, citing its unconstitutionality as the main reason behind his move.


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