Berri 'Welcomes' Vote Law Proposals as Discussions Go Back to Starting Point

Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday that he was ready to hear proposals on the controversial electoral draft-law after he withdrew his hybrid plan, which became a point of contention between the March 8 majority and the March 14 opposition alliances.

In remarks to An Nahar daily, Berri said he has “now become in the position of hearing” proposals.

“Those who have better plans are welcomed to propose them,” he said.

Berri withdrew on Wednesday his hybrid proposal that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems after he failed to convince the rival parties on its adoption.

Parliamentary sources also told An Nahar that the latest statements made by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun that the alternative to the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal is the adoption of a single district based on proportionality, forced the collapse of Berri's plan.

The withdrawal of his proposal brought back the discussions on an electoral draft-law to the starting point, they said.

Berri's sources told the newspaper that the speaker was upset by the behavior of several members of the March 14 alliance and his allies in the March 8 majority coalition.

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri telephoned Berri on Thursday to stress that he holds onto holding the elections, scheduled for June 9, on time.

But Berri's sources said the speaker told him that all sides want the polls to be held in their constitutional deadline but “I need a law first.”

Lebanon's rival parties and parliamentary blocs have so far failed to agree on an electoral draft-law that would govern the elections.

Despite the lack of consensus, Prime Minister Najib Miqati said Thursday that he had agreed with President Michel Suleiman to sign a decree calling on voters to participate in the polls.

He was quoted as saying that the 1960 law is so far in force and he is responsible for implementing it.

Despite the latest developments, consultations between the top officials and leaders continued on Thursday to reach consensus on a new law.

Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour told An Nahar in remarks published Friday that a visit he made to President Michel Suleiman came as part of consultations between the head of state and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on the electoral proposals.

“We agreed on the need to hold the elections on time and to form the authority that would oversee the polls no matter which law was adopted,” he said.

“The polls should not become the hostage of any law as long as there is another law in force,” Abou Faour added.