LEBANON: PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON CONSTITUTIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 001520 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/ELA ALSO FOR IO A/S HOOK, PDAS WARLICK P FOR DRUSSELL, RRANGASWAMY USUN FOR KHALILZAD/WOLFF/SCHEDLBAUER/GERMAIN NSC FOR ABRAMS/YERGER/MCDERMOTT/RAMCHAND E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR SY LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL REF: BEIRUT 1439 Classified By: Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) In the first meeting of its fall regular session, parliament passed a law on the Constitutional Council, Lebanon's highest court, paving the way for an end to the judicial vacuum that has existed since 2005. The ten-member Council, which has the power to rule on challenges to electoral results, will play a critical role in the 2009 parliamentary elections. We hear that the ten members will be chosen (five by the parliament; five by the cabinet) in the next four-five weeks. End summary. NEW COUNCIL WILL PLAY CRITICAL ROLE IN 2009 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS -------------- ¶2. (C) Parliament began its ordinary fall session on October 21, in accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the fall session begins the first Tuesday after October 15. In addition to selecting some new committee members and chairs, MPs approved a new law on the Constitutional Council, Lebanon's highest court, which had been inactive since 2005. The new law restricts membership on the Council to retired judges with strong credentials, maintains the age limit to a minimum 50 and maximum 74 years, and abolishes a 2006 amendment requirement candidates to interview with parliament's Administration and Justice Committee. Potential candidates have 15 days to present their candidacy after the law enters into force. ¶3. (C) The Council will play a potentially critical role in the 2009 parliamentary elections. Despite the Minister of Interior's efforts to level the playing field and ensurefree and fair elections, we expect there will bemany challenges to the results, especially in Christian districts, where the elections are expected to be especially close and contentious. (Note: To this day, Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Michel Aoun contests 11 seats from the 2005 election, which, had the opposition won, would have given the March 8/Aoun alliance the majority and probably paved the way for Aoun to realize his dream of becoming president. In a October 22 meeting with Pol/Econ Chief, FPM member Alain Aoun said the FPM probably would ask the new Council to rule on the 11 seats, although he said this would be more for the "moral" value of the ruling than expectations that the Council would overturn any of the 2005 results. End note.) ¶4. (C) With the law in place, the next step is ensuring that the 10 judges selected will be impartial arbiters. The decision to remove a 2006 amendment requiring an interview with parliament's Administration and Justice Committee is hailed by most observers as a move to de-politicize the selection process. MP Bahije Tabarah, a prominent constitutional expert, praised the move, telling Embassy staff on October 20 that members of the Administration and Justice committee might not have the background in constitutional or public law to assess the candidates, professional qualifications. The chairman of the committee, MP Robert Ghanem, told us that he supported the elimination of his committee's role. Ghanem thought that selections of the ten judges would take place in the next four to five weeks, noting that dozens of persons had nominated themselves even before parliament passed the new law. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS: CHALLENGES TO NEW ELECTORAL LAW? -------------- ¶5. (C) Three parliamentarians, Ibrahim Kanaan and Ghassan Mukhayber (from the Aoun bloc) and Bahije Tabbarah (former member of the Hariri bloc); have announced their intention to challenge the recently adopted electoral law (reftel). BEIRUT 00001520 002 OF 002 Mukhayber told Embassy staff on October 21 that he was considering challenging three provisions of the electoral law to give security officers and soldiers the right to vote, call for a pre-printed ballot, and allow Lebanese living abroad to vote at local embassies and consulates. He was concerned, however, that such a challenge might result in the Constitutional Council's review -- and possible rejection -- of the entire electoral law, which "could plunge the country into another round of political discord, as politicians will be incapable of drafting a new electoral law that would satisfy all parties," he said. ¶6. (C) The Council does not have the power to interpret the constitution. Both the majority and minority have used their interpretations of various (often vague) articles of the Constitution for political gains, most notably during the prolonged process to elect a new president, with March 14 arguing it had the right to elect the president by simple majority in parliament and the opposition demanding a two-thirds majority. With no judicial authority available to settle the dispute, the March 14 majority compromised on its choice for president. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶7. (C) According to the 1989 Taif Agreement described, the Council's mandate was "to interpret the constitution, to observe the constitutionality of the laws, and to settle disputes and contests emanating from presidential and parliamentary elections." When it was formally established in 1993, however, it was stripped of the first role. The President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, and parliamentarians (via a petition signed by a minimum of 10 MPs) have the right to refer cases to the Council regarding the constitutionality of laws. Leaders of the 18 officially recognized religions also have the right, but their cases are limited to issues related to civil status, freedom of religion, and religious education. Otherwise, unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, individual citizens may not appeal to the Council. Council decisions require a majority of seven votes and are irrevocable. ¶8. (C) The Council consists of 10 members, five appointed by the cabinet and five elected by parliament, with half of the members rotating every three years. Like many institutions in Lebanon, the Council membership must preserve a confessional balance, composed of two Maronites, two Greek-Orthodox, one Catholic, two Sunnis, two Shia and one Druze. The first Council was selected in 1994, with membership rotating every three years, until 2003, when political differences prevented the cabinet and parliament from appointing new members. ¶9. (C) In 2005, following the assassination of former PM Rafiq Hariri and subsequent electoral victory for March 14, the new majority enacted a law freezing the Council's operations. March 14, believing the Council members were closely affiliated with the Syrian regime, wanted to prevent the opposition to use it to challenge the results of the parliamentary elections. ¶10. (C) In June 2006, parliament passed a law amending the procedures to appoint members to the Council, adding a rigorous interview with the Justice and Administration Committee. Procedures on implementing this law were initiated and more than 74 applications were submitted to the Committee. However, the July 2006 war and the November 2006 withdrawal of Hizballah and Amal ministers from the cabinet paralyzed the process. The new law eliminates the interview process, which analysts believe would have politicized the nominations. SISON