Sami Gemayel Renews Rejection of 1960 Law: We Oppose Extending Parliament's Term

Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel reiterated his rejection of the adoption of the 1960 parliamentary electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary elections, urging the need to head to parliament to subject the available laws to a vote, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday.

He told the daily: “Laws are available and one of them is bound to garner the greatest number of votes.”

“We completely reject extending the term of parliament, the president, and any other authority”, which may be caused by the delay in an agreement on a new law, which will in turn lead to the postponement of the elections, he noted.

Moreover, he said that offering a new time period to allow political powers to reach consensus over an electoral law will result in the postponement of the elections.

“The parliamentary subcommittee reached a dead-end and we therefore must head to parliament to vote on an electoral law,” he explained of the talks held at the parliamentary authority that failed to reach consensus over a vote law.

Speaker Nabih Berri had granted political blocs until May 15 to reach an agreement over a new electoral law before calling parliament to session to vote on the Orthodox Gathering proposal that was approved by the joint parliamentary committees.

President Michel Suleiman, caretaker Premier Najib Miqati, MP Walid Jumblat's National Struggle Front, the Mustaqbal Movement, and independent March 14 MPs have rejected the law, saying that it deepens sectarian divisions in Lebanon.

The Orthodox Gathering law divides Lebanon into a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system.

The political powers have so far failed to reach an agreement on an alternative law, threatening to postpone the parliamentary elections that are scheduled for June 16.

The majority of the powers have also rejected resorting to the amended version of the 1960 law that was adopted in the 2009 elections.

Addressing the efforts to form a new government, Gemayel said: “The March 8 and 14 camps have opposing views and I do not know just how much Premier-designate Tammam Salam will be able to bridge the differences between them.”

“The former is seeking the establishment of a political government, while the latter wants the formation of a neutral one. I do not think we can reach middle ground,” added the MP.

“We oppose the formation of a national unity government because past experiences have demonstrated its failure,” he remarked.

“A salvation government that includes all political powers should therefore be formed or possibly a neutral one that is backed by all the forces,” he stressed.

Salam is still holding consultations with various powers to form a new cabinet.

He has repeatedly said that he is seeking the formation of a government “of national interests” capable of overseeing the parliamentary elections.