BEIRUT: Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel expressed his frustration at the current constitutional formula Sunday, and called for the transformation of Lebanon into a federal state. “It’s about time to admit that the constitutional formula that we have been living in for more than 90 years has failed to bring Lebanese together,” the newly elected party chief said.
Gemayel said the pre-Civil War Constitution and the Taif Accord, which ended the 1975-1990 Civil War, have worsened the situation instead of making it better, and contended that they have strengthened sectarianism instead of citizenship, extremism instead of moderation, and fear instead of trust.
“What are [we] waiting for to think of something new?” he asked during a ceremony outside party headquarters in Beirut’s Saifi neighborhood. “Is it necessary for bloodshed between Lebanese to think of something new? Is the blood that has already fallen not enough?”