PM: We need an objective law to appoint ombudsman

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At a recent parliamentary session, one of the issues discussed was the missed opportunity to pass an amendment that would have required at least a majority, or two-thirds, of parliament to remove or appoint a new ombudsman function, but some felt no progress had been made in this regard.

At a government press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Evelyne Weaver-Cross addressed the issue, defending the need for more objective laws to avoid politicization of the Ombudsman. “I think, in fact, the purpose of our approach to this issue is to avoid politicization: therefore, it is necessary to have laws that are as objective as possible. I regret that this appointment has been politicized in this way,” Weaver-Cross said.

The Prime Minister noted that if Parliament wishes to change the appointment of the Ombudsman by an absolute majority or a qualified majority, it is Parliament that must make this decision. “We want the Ombudsman to be as impartial as possible, so the government will not interfere too much in this matter. We leave it to Parliament,” he explained.

Weaver-Cross also stressed that it was Parliament that took responsibility for the law and gave them the power to regulate it. “Parliament has responsibility for this. An MP has left a stain on this matter and has been held accountable,” the prime minister said.

This approach is intended to ensure that the Ombudsman’s functions are free from political influence and that he or she is impartial and objective in the performance of his or her functions.