National Bloc on Aoun’s allusion to extending his mandate: The extension reminds us of the Syrian custody days... and the solution is to restore decision making to the Lebanese People

The repeated allusion to President Michel Aoun that he would stay in office beyond his term, reminds of the multitude of painful experiences that the Lebanese people endured during the irrational wars and the Syrian occupation.

The extension of the president’s tenure is not a constitutional custom, as he declared, but rather a custom introduced by the Syrian intelligence apparatus during the guardianship era over Lebanon.

Respecting the Constitution and democracy is a notable virtue that distinguished true statesmen like President Fouad Chehab and Brigadier General Raymond Eddé.

President Chehab, who is credited for establishing a state of law and institutions, and endeavored to impose state’s sovereignty at home and abroad, rejected all temptations to have his tenure renewed.

So did Brigadier General Eddé when he decided to run for President in 1976 in defiance of Syrian and American interference, and in the belief that a pluralist presidential election is a necessary condition for democracy even in the most challenging circumstances.

How can a president who plunged the country into an endless dark abyss of suffering during his reign contemplates the idea of extending his own term?

Abiding by the constitutional deadlines and holding the elections on time is the beginning of a feasible solution.

The beginning of the solution is to give the Lebanese people a chance to restore their decision.