Hariri Reiterates Commitment to Hold Elections on Time

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri reiterated Thursday in a phone call with Speaker Nabih Berri that al-Mustaqbal Movement is committed to hold the elections before their constitutional deadline, Hariri's press office said.

“Al-Mustaqbal was and is still committed to hold the elections on time despite all the organized campaigns claiming otherwise,” said Hariri from Riyadh.

Hariri and Berri discussed the looming parliamentary elections in light of the conflict among political parties on an electoral law that meets the approval of all.

The rival parties are yet to agree on a draft-law after the adoption of the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal by the joint parliamentary committees which drew a sharp debate among the opposition's faction and with rival coalitions.

The polls are likely to be postponed if the parliament gives the green light to the proposal that divides Lebanon into a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system.

But the draft-law has been rejected by al-Mustaqbal bloc, the centrist National Struggle Front of Walid Jumblat, and the March 14 opposition’s Christian independent MPs. It has been also criticized by President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati.