Charbel Prepared 'Modified Version' of 1960 Law, Amid Talks on Extending Parliament's Term

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel revealed on Tuesday that he prepared a “modified formula” for the 1960 electoral law reiterating his call on the electoral candidates to submit their nominations based on the said law if politicians failed to reach a consensual law, the Al-Joumhuria daily said.

“I have prepared a modified formula for the 1960 electoral law,” Charbel told the daily, “and candidates running for the parliamentary elections should submit their candidacies based on the 1960 law if an agreement on a new one was not achieved by the 19th of May.”

“In that case the parliament should convene and extend its term for another two months paving the way for the interior ministry to take the necessary measures and preparations to hold the elections,” added the Minister.

Charbel assured that he predicted reaching a deadlock on the controversial electoral law and has therefore prepared the modified version which he has not offered to any of the political parties yet.

Moreover, Charbel said he has prepared a two phase electoral project, where the first phase of the elections is conducted based on sectarian basis and the second on a majority basis.

“Both stages aim to improve the Christian representation,” said Charbel.

On the other hand, An Nahar daily pointed to two possibilities debated between various factions that could be a solution for the thorny issue.

“Speaker Nabih Berri could call for a parliament session, despite failure to agree on a new law, to discuss the Orthodox Draft proposal, thus prompting the Sunni and Druze lawmakers to withdraw from the session and the quorum would be lost. Berri is then pushed to suspend the session,” the daily said.

“The Speaker would then call for a second session and extend the Parliament's term for not less than 6 months to give more time to reach an agreement on an electoral law that meets approval of all parties.”

The other option, according to the daily, is to vote on the Orthodox draft-law knowing that it will fail the vote thus opening the way for a de-facto 1960 draft-law.

Berri had previously urged political blocs to reach an agreement on an electoral law before May 15, otherwise he would call for a parliament session to vote on the Orthodox proposal.

The joint parliamentary committees have approved the Orthodox plan - where each sect elects its own representatives- in light of the refusal of al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Progressive Socialist Party MPs, the independent MPs of the March 14 alliance.