The Lebanese government met Saturday and approved a decree to hold by-elections to fill the seats of two assassinated ant-Syrian Members of Parliament. "The government has decided to hold by-election on August 5th," Information minister Ghazi Aridi said after the government session.
It should be noted that following the assassination last November of Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, the government ordered by-elections. However, President Lahoud refused to sign the decree and the government did not press its case.
The second seat became vacant on Wednesday with the murder of Beirut MP Walid Eido. A third MP belonging to the anti-Syrian majority, Gebran Tueni, was assassinated in December 2005. In that case, by-elections were held, and he was succeeded by his father, Ghassan, who ran unopposed.
Eido's assassination reduced the majority's presence in parliament from 70 to 68.
On Friday Aridi was quoted as saying that "Once adopted, the decree will be carried out even if the president of the republic, Emile Lahoud, refuses to sign it."
Pro-Syrian Lahoud issued a sharp rebuke to Aridi's announcement. "As guarantor of the constitution, I warn this illegitimate government. It does not have the right to exploit the assassination of deputy Eido to violate the constitution. The only solution lies in forming a unity government," the president said in a statement.
