Saniora Rejects Proportional Electoral Law as Differences Surge among Opposition over Orthodox Gathering Proposal
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora openly rejected on Thursday any electoral law based on proportional representation, expressing annoyance over the stances taken by his March 14 allies over the Orthodox Gathering draft-law, media reports said.
According to An Nahar newspaper, Saniora said that “no proportional law will be adopted under the hegemony of Hizbullah arms that is similar to the Syrian tutelage.”
Local newspapers reported that Saniora praised during a phone conversation with President Michel Suleiman his “brave” stance, saying that he “proved that he (the president) is the guardian of the constitution.”
Sources close to Suleiman said in comments published in As Safir that he is holding onto the electoral draft-law proposed by the cabinet, stressing that he will not back down on his stance from the Orthodox Gathering law suggestion.
However, the sources said that the president will not obstruct any agreement reached by the Lebanese foes.
Suleiman rejected on Tuesday the adopting the Orthodox Gathering's proposed law in the upcoming parliamentary elections, describing it as “unconstitutional.”
The lawmaker also contacted Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and MPs Michel Murr and Butros Harb.
He informed his March 14 opposition allies that he rejects “the Orthodox Gathering draft-law, also known as Ferzli law, as it incites further division among the Lebanese sects.”
On Sunday, The Christian four-party committee on the electoral law agreed to endorse the electoral system proposed by the so-called Orthodox Gathering, under which each sect would elect its own lawmakers.
Saniora stressed the importance of holding onto the “Taef accord and defending it with all the democratic means to maintain the Lebanese unity.”
Informed sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Saniora expressed aggravation from the stance taken by his allies over the Orthodox Gathering draft-law.
The electoral subcommittee resumed discussions over the electoral law after the opposition agreed to Speaker Nabih Berri's proposal of residing in a hotel near the parliament building in downtown Beirut, as a safety precaution.
10 January 2013, 08:37
12
It is clear that FM have no intention of removing their hegemony over a portion of Christian MP seats. It is also clear that M14 Christians are finally starting to see this. This election law debate might spell the end of the M14 alliance.
10 January 2013, 10:07
11
Sanioura panick is really amusing. but eventually he will loose his hegemony over the Sunni minority and will have to give the christians their rights back
10 January 2013, 14:35
11
they need to agree to amend the constitution then, their agreement on a law does NOT prove that it is constitutional.
10 January 2013, 17:50
00
FT so let them pass a constitutional amendment, they cannot approve an unconstitutional law...let them get the 2/3 needed to amend the constitution and then they can pass whatever law is desired.
10 January 2013, 14:13
12
in that case FT, point one also means that M8 was outmanoeuvered democratically, if you think your second point is true.
paying plane tickets and putting asphalt (something all sides do before elections) is not any more cheating than a bloc elected on a platform that then switches sides is.
second, fpm keeps complaining about paying and all that. does ha not provide materialistic support to the shia? is that not equivalent to buying votes?
and what if musta2bal pays money? if it is that easy, pay them more and see if they will vote for m8.
people are broke and before politics and opinions they need food, shelter and security. the money they are being paid most probably is being used for that end, and they will naturally vote for the highest bidder.
you know very well that if it was payout that decides the elections, m8 are not short of funding and could easily take around 100 deputies :)
10 January 2013, 15:59
01
maybe if they paid less in support to hezballah they wouldnt be so broke!!
but no seriously, first i never mentionned iran and syria (although yes it is impied, but you directly said it yourself, so ha!! :p)
second its not like iran is sending billions for it to affect the coutnry's economy. a few millions can do a lot in lebanon
10 January 2013, 15:18
21
the filthy zionist scum hallucinate:
1. that their friends coalition won last 2 elections (you won only second, on first you were still alied with hezballah)
2. M8 was outmanoeuvered democratically (hillarious)
3. that another patriotic lebanese is "funny with his arguments of a bad frustrated loser he is..."
4. that social services and reconstruction from iran's money is the same as saudi wahabi filth giving money to the rich for mindless campaigns.
10 January 2013, 17:54
00
3azeem FT, defending internal use of "resistance" arms...yalla jayekon eldor, once FSA is finished with Bisho nasrocrap is next, keep the arrogance going though!
