The parliamentary subcommittee discussing a new draft law for the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary elections held further talks Monday, after which a number of MPs spoke out on the divisive issue.
Committee chief MP Robert Ghanem voiced his support for some of the Christian parties’ request to have better representation in the parliament.
“The Christians do not demand their rights in order to harm others,” the National News Agency quoted Ghanem as saying.
Meanwhile, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad criticized the 50-constituency draft law proposed by the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb parties, saying that it does not provide the Christians with more political rights.
“[The small districts proposal] only allows [Christian voting] for 14 MPs, whereas the other Christian MPs remain under the umbrella of other Muslim blocs.”
Fayyad’s March 8 compatriot Alain Aoun reiterated his Change and Reform bloc’s support for the Orthodox Gathering draft law, which proposes citizens vote for candidates of their own sect.
“At the end, the Orthodox proposal will be [the only solution].”
Lebanon’s four major Christian parties, including the opposition LF and Kataeb parties, endorsed the Orthodox Gathering’s draft law, while the Future Movement, Progressive Socialist Party and independent March 14 Christians opposed the draft.
Also, Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat stressed once more his bloc’s objection to any electoral law based on proportionality, as well as their rejection of the “one man, one vote” proposal.
Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party MP Akram Chehayeb said that his party proposed the establishment of a Lebanese Senate in order to “reach a law that ensures fair representation of all [parties].”
Lebanese Forces bloc MP George Adwan did not voice any objection to the PSP’s proposal, saying his party is “open to all suggestions, including [the establishment of a] senate.”
He added that his party favors a law based on “proportionality or majority according to just representation.”
“The current parliament does not provide fair representation.”
Kataeb bloc MP Sami Gemayel called on the parliament to put to vote two draft laws proposed by his party, namely “the civil marriage draft, which the Kataeb party proposed in 1969, and the civil personal status law.”
Members of a parliamentary sub-committee began early January their discussions on different draft laws in order to choose a proposal to replace the 1960 electoral law, with the country’s political circles divided over which law to adopt despite the cabinet’s approval in September 2012 of a draft law based on proportionality and 13 electoral districts.
