Beirut (AsiaNews) The Lebanese economy needs an infusion of foreign capital and for this to happen people must have trust in the country's political system, which in turn, means reforming the judiciary, the government administration and the education system. In a nutshell, these are the main objectives laid down in the electoral programme of General Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).
To illustrate them before the fourth and last round of elections, AsiaNews spoke to Sami Nader, an economist who teaches at Beirut's St Joseph Catholic University and who is also the FPM's information director.
According to Mr Nader, General Aoun's "programme is based on a global vision of what a reform package must be". This vision includes Lebanese émigrés for in his 15 years of exile, the General has "established solid ties with the Lebanese Diaspora and has been able to mobilise it politically. In turn, Lebanese living abroad are indispensable to jumpstart the country's economy."
For Nader, an "economic revival can only be achieved if Beirut's financial sector is modernised and for this to happen we must adopt legislation that will favour investments and capital flow, tapping into liquidity held by Lebanese living abroad. Hence, the need to encourage the Diaspora" to invest.
However, "one precondition for attracting investment is confidence, especially in the country's political system and judiciary," he explained. "It is essential to reassure investors and to lay the foundations of the Rule of Law."
"General Aoun's party is thus proposing a radical overhaul of the judiciary and the administration which will have to prove their independence and management capacities."
"For the General, it is a question first and foremost of protecting judges from the influence of politics, of giving wide berth to competent and independent magistrates, to whom the state will provide protection against any attempt to politically pressure them. As for judges, their tasks will be to uphold the law."
In terms of the war on corruption, Nader said that "public spending will come under tight scrutiny".
Similarly, the administration will be subjected to close supervision in order to determine what its real needs are in terms of staff and departments, with the idea of eventually ridding it of what is not necessary.
Modernising the government's administrative apparatus might open the way to some form of privatisation, but before that can be done some sectors like electrical power, water resources and the casino must be shored up.
In terms of social policies, Aoun's FPM has prepared a study on the public health care system because "health care is a fundamental right".
And last but not least, education is a crucial component in the party's programme. People, Nader explained, must "be prepared to act like citizens, open to dialogue and to recognition of others". This means that women must be given their space in public affairs too.
According to him, the party's "main goal is creating a secular state that is capable of overcoming sectarian divisions".
