Cabinet Approves Electoral Law Based on Proportionality amid National Struggle Front Objection

Cabinet approved on Tuesday a parliamentary electoral law based on proportional representation.

The draft law was subject to a vote at cabinet, enjoying the support of all ministers except those of the National Struggle Front, announced acting Information Minister Wael Abou Faour after the session, which was held at the Baabda Palace and headed by President Michel Suleiman.

The law calls for dividing Lebanon into 13 electoral districts for the 2013 parliamentary elections.

Abou Faour, also of the National Struggle Front, said that the objections did not delve into the details of the division of the electoral districts.

In addition, each electoral list must include at least one female candidate, he said.

Head of the National Struggle Front MP Walid Jumblat had repeatedly voiced his objection to the adoption of proportional representation for the electoral law.

He had held talks on Monday with Suleiman, but he did not make a statement after the meeting.

In April, Jumblat firmly reiterated his rejection of an electoral law based on the proportional representation system.

“I don’t want any type of proportionality and that’s all,” Jumblat he said ahead of a meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri’s aide, Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s aide, Hussein Khalil.

As the Druze leader stressed that there is no reason to postpone the 2013 parliamentary elections, he noted that any law based on proportionality would be aimed at slashing the size of his parliamentary bloc.

In a bid to appease Jumblat, Berri has recently proposed adopting an electoral law based on proportional representation and a single electorate simultaneously with creating a Druze-led senate.

The electoral districts are as follows:

Beirut, two districts:

-Ashrafiyeh, al-Rmeil, al-Mdawwar, the port region, al-Saifi, al-Bashoura (9 MPs)

-Ras Beirut, Dar al-Mreiseh, Minet al-Hosn, Zqaq al-Blat al-Mazraa, al-Mousaytbeh (10 MPs)

Southern Lebanon, two districts:

-Sidon, Tyre, Jezzine, al-Zahrani (12 MPs)

-Bint Jbeil, al-Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoun, Hasbaya (11 MPs)

Bekaa, three districts:

-Zahle (7 MPs)

-Rashayya, western Bekaa (6 MPs)

-Baalbek al-Hermel (10 MPs)

Northern Lebanon, three districts:

-Akkar, al-Minyeh, al-Dinniyeh (10 MPs)

-Tripoli (8 MPs)

-Zgharta, Bsharreh, al-Koura, al-Batroun (10 MPs)

Mount Lebanon, three districts:

-Baabda, al-Metn (14 MPs)

-Jbeil, Keserouan (8 MPs)

-Al-Shouf, Aley (13 MPs)