Hariri Rejects New Electoral Law: It is Directed against More than Half of Lebanese
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Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri slammed on Tuesday the new parliamentary electoral law, stressing that it will not be approved at parliament.
He said in a statement: “The least that can be said of the law is that it is directed against more than half of the Lebanese people and we reject it.”
He revealed that he had contacted President Michel Suleiman to inform him of his opposition.
“I hold the president and prime minister responsible for the government’s decision and its repercussions,” continued the former premier.
Hariri accused them of “tampering with democracy and the rights of the factions they claim to represent.”
He added the new electoral law was “tailored to Hizbullah and its allies’ interests, whether through the adoption of proportional representation or the division of the electoral districts.”
“The entire country’s national and political decision-making power will lie in Hizbullah and its allies’ hands should the draft law be approved at parliament,” he noted.
Cabinet approved on Tuesday a parliamentary electoral law based on proportional representation and Lebanon’s division into 13 electoral districts.
The National Struggle Front has voiced its opposition to the law.
07 August 2012, 18:59
16
Could someone explain what the law is about and how it could help HA and why would it hurt Hariri?.. Naharnet merely reports tassari7 with zero effort for analysis.
07 August 2012, 19:30
19
before hurting hariri, this law hurts christians with 13 districts, christian MPs will be relying on others to be elected, whereas others do not rely on Christians to be elected.
07 August 2012, 21:35
04
True bass u have to understand there is no democracy in both iran and syria when the pple rise up against them...they start shooting them
07 August 2012, 19:04
40
Who does the fool mean by we reject it, he and his thugs in KSA. Hariri, you hijacked the government for some months due to yo paid people off. Fact is that you are not Lebanese and never spend time here if you are not in the government. There are many brave politicians whom are under threat and still live and work in Lebanon despite all threats. This is the country you formed with your KSA friends and that millions of people have to live in due to they don't have the luxury to travel and stay in France, Gulf or other places. You are a shame for your family and you have destroyed all great achievements your father R.I.P. Mr. Rafic Hariri build. You will never rule Lebanon again.
07 August 2012, 19:19
03
lebanon_first, example joining Jbeil to Keserouan, Baabda to Matn adds a huge number of Shiites voters to predominately Christian districts of Keserwen and Matn and joining Sidon, Tyre, Jezzine, al-Zahrani, huge number of Shiites voters to predominately Sunni Sidon. Joining Bint Jbeil, al-Nabatiyeh, Marjeyoun, Hasbaya again Shiites votes overwhelm everyone else.
With Baalbek al-Hermel, untouched Emile Rahme will probably again get the most overall votes in all of Lebanon, LOL.
07 August 2012, 19:20
01
I agree with Lebanon_first. Some neutral analysis would be fine.
07 August 2012, 20:37
03
Flame Thrower!! U such an ignorant or maybe u dont know that there is Christians in Jezzine or Akkar, or many other places where in the 13th districts assigned exactly to make the 8M get majority. Such a coucou guy following instructions bosses
07 August 2012, 20:38
112
It does not change the Taef Accord's distribution of Parliamentary seats by ethnicity, so that the 20% of Lebanese who are Christian will still get the same number of seats as the 80% who are Muslim.
It does change the way those seats are voted for ("proportional representation"), making it possible, I think, that the Muslims in a district would have the power (the privilege?) to designate the Christian MP who would represent them.
So I suppose it might be a tiny step toward democracy.
I agree that the confusion about electoral politics is itself part of the politics. Hariri probably knows that Shiites by themselves are half the Lebanese population. They have the right to form a majority Hezbullah government.
These assumptions about ethnicity and creed (so if you're Shiite you're a terrorist and if you're Christian you're an elitist) are what's wrong with Lebanon. Bigotry does not work, literally. It impedes work.
07 August 2012, 20:54
110
you are so wrong in your percentages :)
Christians are a bit over 35% and with the inclusion of the diaspora they become more than 50%, and this is why the shia are trying to delay this part.
moreover and based on the numbers of the last elections: sunnis outnumber shia :)
so go play in your corner and stop your BS.
08 August 2012, 11:07
00
where u got those nbs ?????
Christians represent 38%
Muslim Sunni 28%
Muslim Shiite 28%
Druze 6%
Those are taken from the Electoral lists.
I cannot believe how people are criticizing a law they dont understand!!!!!!!!! You really do believe your political stooges...
Their only problem is having Mustaqbal and Jumblat lose their hegemony over the Christian seats. But they dont shout that high. They tell you brainwashed people, it will make hezb stronger to have your backing... anyway u wont understand.
08 August 2012, 16:13
20
Have some respect geha. Who told you the Shia are trying to delay this part and squeeze the christians? Where are your sources? Is this sectarian analysis fueled with speculation?
You can have all your opinions about whether Hezb should keep its arms, but those who claim that they seek to take over the state and establish their own are out of touch with the mechanics of Hezb. I've researched a ton about this party (no, not from youtube but from actual credible academic documents), and nothing suggests to me what you constantly speculate.
07 August 2012, 21:33
12
I agree with the part bigotry does not work but here's the thing it gives HA the power to get closer to taking lebanon and call it the new iranian state
07 August 2012, 21:02
18
Long live Sheikh Saad! A dynamic young man well advised. Thank you for handling our interests regardless of the death threats.
07 August 2012, 21:21
17
Sewer mouth open again I see BSThrower. Must be hard to contain it I see from all your posts. A conditioned Iranian pawn....that's all you are.
07 August 2012, 21:25
10
akid akid akid hariri will not approve such a law which allows christians to vote for christians and muslims for muslims...in other word hariri and jumblatt will not be able to have their own christian puppets....aka samer s3ade in akkar...beirut 2 and 3 in the north...chouf such as 3dwen, dorry chamoun, alley such as habber, etc.... etc...
07 August 2012, 21:40
13
Btw guys flamethrower sounds like he knows it all...Hariri is a loser y is that???cuz he was prime minister plzz dude get to where he got first and where his dad sheikh rafik RIP achieved and the rebuilding of lebanon then fta7 timmak w7kii 3anjad mafi manti2
08 August 2012, 01:03
16
Failing to do anything.....yeah right. And you think your sect of the devil has done anything but drive fear into the country through brutal force & intimidation. Ya waati! They have sent the country back into the ice age because of their nomadic and regressed fashions. Every post of yours reflects the same crap. Soon they will be toppled and you will be going down with them. Your not even Lebanese you low life!
08 August 2012, 09:04
00
perhaps you should look at the economy of lebanon as it was during his term. It was great. The moment he went out the economy of lebanon plunged. you can check this out yourself. Meanwhile, there is only ONE thing that the current government has managed to accomplish in its term, and that is decent internet speed, thats the ONLY thing.
08 August 2012, 10:58
20
Rafik Hariri never rebuilt anything. He demolished the very concept of a State and made of Lebanon a private playground and covered Syrian occupation. He established companies like Solidere and Sukleen that steal people and government money.
I am not supporter of March 8 or March 14 but something really needs to be done to correct the history of the worst politician ever to rule in Lebanon.
08 August 2012, 16:15
01
Rafik Hariri was a man of compromise. He was one of the most trusted politician according to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah himself. He had large international contacts and could've brought much needed foreign investment. Sure he bribed his way into politics but that is simply the nature of the Lebanese political system.
07 August 2012, 22:54
15
flame thrower who told u that....my friend is christian and she had to cover up head to toe and wear a veil so where did u come up with this...unlike most of u guys im not in libnan w i have a lot of iranian friends w they all say the same thing get ready for a new islamic republic libnan
08 August 2012, 00:08
00
This looks like the work of Barak Obama and his crew in their attempt to steal the vote.
08 August 2012, 00:51
00
Wow. None of you people actually understand how proportional representations actually works. And neither does Hariri. Go educate yourselves.
08 August 2012, 01:05
17
And what beloved leader of yours are boasting about? Khomeini? Hassan? Assad? Conditioned sheep!
08 August 2012, 01:29
00
I'm surprised people here are still backing either 14 th or 8 th both are a bunch of thieving lying puppets serving the interests of foreign forces... It doesn't matter if they serve Iran or the usa , both r lower than each other. Wake up and stop bickering, instead start looking for a viable alternative... The only countries who benefit from internal bickering in lebanon r Syria Iran and Israel...
08 August 2012, 06:25
13
Here is how it hurts. Proportional representation means that if the losing party nevertheless wins a certain threashhold level of votes that the party will be allocated seats in parliament. So, in closely contested districts, the loser gets seats along with the winner. In districts where there is one party and none other, then no one gets to the threshold and so no seats go to losers.
What this means. Where Hezobollah runs, there are no competing parties so only Hezbollah gets the seats.
Where FPM runs, it wins or it loses close elections. Where it loses close elections it gets seats anyway. So this boosts the total seats of FPM, the lap dog and butt kisser of Hezbollah. This is how everyone but the M8 coalition gets screwed in this deal.
08 August 2012, 09:05
41
what HArriri doesn't want to say is that he will loose his grip over Beirut, North Zahleh and west Bekaa. The christians and the sunni opposition will be able to gain many MP's. now the question is if the christians are trully Feb14 supporters then Harriri will not loose, however if they are FPM supporters then Harriri will losse about 15 MP's! now we understang why he is opposing the law in this fearce way: it will reveal his true size
08 August 2012, 16:16
01
Wow harrier what a constructive and intelligent response. Lots of substance there.
08 August 2012, 10:49
01
I would very much like to know why the word peasant is being used as an insult?
08 August 2012, 15:24
02
Aoun is selling Lebanon for a chair...pathetic…he’s better sitting on a wheel chair..he will NEVER EVER sit on the president chair…get it? Got it?
