REPORT: Constitutional Council fails to convene, parliament's extension valid

The parliament's extended 17-month term entered into force on Friday as the Constitutional Council failed to convene for the fourth consecutive time to issue a ruling on petitions filed against the extension.         

It is worth noting that today is the final deadline to issue a ruling on both appeals filed by President Michel Sleiman and the Free Patriotic Movement.         

In this regard, the council's head, Judge Issam Sleiman, drafted a report to reveal the circumstances of the failure to convene the 10-member body.              

He then referred it to President Sleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun.                    

In this context, Free Patriotic Movement Deputy Ibrahim Kanaan told LBCI following a meeting held with Judge Sleiman that extending the term of the parliament was based upon a political decision.         

Kanaan added that “democracy and institutions are now in the hands of activists”.             

For the fourth consecutive time, three judges – 2 Shiites and a Druze – boycotted the council's meetings.                    

The parliamentary elections will now be held in November 2014.       

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.


To watch the full report, please click on the video above