World Lebanese Cultural Union
Lawyer Michel Klimos lectured on 28 February 2013 on the constitutional lacks pertaining to the role and powers of the President of the Republic, at the French National Assembly, upon the invitation of the World Lebanese Cultural Union represented by the President of the Regional Council in Europe Roger Hani and the President of the National Council in France Edmond Abdul Masih, under the patronage of Lebanon’s Ambassador in Paris, Boutros Assaker.
The lecture touched on the role and powers of the Lebanese President as stated by Taif Agreement, following the Lebanese civil war, as well as on the means to comply the requirements of the Lebanese parliamentary system with the requirements of all sects’ participation in power.
Klimos, spoke of the refraining of the Presidents who respectively came to power before Taif from fully practicing their competences, in terms of appointing the ministers, naming the Prime Minister, and dissolving the Parliament.
He considered that the post-Taif constitution undermined the role of the President of the Republic and created an unbalance among powers, which lead to a system gridlock, best expressed through the so-called Troika.
He added that the constitution’s amendment made it impossible to implement article 49 which states that the President is the symbol of unity in the nation and the guard and guarantee of the constitution and the independence.
He finally called for reviewing some powers of the President in a way that preserves the right of sects to participate in ruling.
