Aoun Calls for 'Reconciling Viewpoints' on Electoral Law

President Michel Aoun on Wednesday followed up on the ongoing efforts to agree on a new electoral law and dedicated his meetings and contacts to this issue, state-run National News Agency reported.

The president called for “expediting the finalization of the draft law's final format ahead of discussing it in Cabinet and referring it to Parliament,” NNA said.

In his meetings and phone talks, Aoun stressed “the need to reconcile viewpoints among the Lebanese parties and resolve the obstacles,” the agency added.

“The new law should reflect the aspirations of the Lebanese and their hopes to have a modern law that truly represents the components of the Lebanese society in a fair and balanced manner,” Aoun said.

The country's main political parties have recently agreed that the new electoral law should be fully based on proportional representation and 15 electoral districts but they are still wrangling over the electoral system's mechanisms and technicalities, especially those related to the representation of sects.

Lebanon has not organized parliamentary elections since 2009 and the legislature has since extended its own term twice. The second extended term will expire on June 20.