By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 4 April 2013:
As the GNC feels the increased pressure on it from the general public to move forward . . .[restrict]on a series of fundamental issues such as the means of choosing the “Constitutional Committee of Sixty” to draft the new constitution, the Political Isolation Law, and its supervisory role as legislature over the government, the GNC is reviewing its voting procedure.
Speaking at Tuesday’s weekly GNC press conference, official spokesperson Omar Hmaidan, admitted that the GNC was reconsidering its quorum and voting threshold.
Up to now, GNC decisions on issues deemed important, such as constitutional amendments, were required to obtain a two-thirds majority of 120 votes. Normal decisions only required a 50 percent plus one vote to be approved.
For votes regarding “holding the government accountable”, it has been proposed that the threshold is set at 100 votes plus one. This, spokesperson Hmaidan said, in order that the GNC is able to more easily vote on this area and implement its role as overseer of the government. If the GNC were to stick to its present rules of two-thirds majority – it would not be able to monitor the government’s activity, he added.
Hmaidan admitted that the GNC had not reached a final decision on this proposal yet. [/restrict]
