Charbel Ready to Run for Presidency, Says Electoral Law Requires Consensus among Rival Parties

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed on Friday that he is ready to run for the presidency after the tenure of President Michel Suleiman ends in 2014, pointing out that the upcoming parliamentary elections can be held only if the political foes reach consensus over the electoral law.

I will become the next president “if I was asked, and they agreed on my candidacy... But I refuse to be a president who has no decision,” Charbel said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

He noted that any candidate running for a post in the public sector should enjoy the two main characteristics of boldness in taking a decision and the ability to implement it.

Concerning the sharp rift over the electoral law between the March 14 and 8 alliances, Charbel said that a parliamentary subcommittee tasked with discussing the electoral system and the number and size of districts, is obliged to discuss the electoral draft law proposed by the cabinet before tackling the other suggestions.

“I should have the ability to defend it,” the minister said.

The parliamentary subcommittee is set to convene next Tuesday to resolve the dispute over the matter.

The government approved in August an electoral law based on proportional representation and 13 districts.

The draft law was rejected by the March 14-led opposition, which deemed the law a being tailored to the March 8 majority camp.

The opposition had boycotted all government and parliamentary activity linked to the elections following the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on October 19.

However, it made concessions by announcing in December that it would end its boycott of the parliamentary subcommittee to discuss an electoral law ahead of the upcoming polls.

Asked about the impact of the Syrian developments on the country, Charbel expressed concern on the spillover of the crisis into Lebanon as long as the local situation is vulnerable.

He stated that the large influx of Syrian refugees into Lebanon is a very “complicated” and “dangerous” matter, saying that the “Arab countries that are involved in the Syrian turmoil should offer the required aid for them.”

“We urge them to assume their responsibilities,” Charbel said, calling on the Arab League council to hold an urgent meeting over the issue.

The minister revealed that there are two camps to train Syrian opposition members in “one of the remote Lebanese areas.”

The cabinet discussed during a session on Thursday a relief plan that aims at providing the necessary humanitarian aid for the displaced and avert a security and social crisis.

According to the latest report issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 170,637 Syrian refugees have been registered in Lebanon.