Geagea Says 1960 Law Harms Coexistence, Leads to 'Bigger Chaos'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday rejected a return to the 1960 electoral law, urging Speaker Nabih Berri to hold a parliamentary session aimed at voting on a new law.
“Holding a cabinet session to form the electoral supervisory commission and take the necessary measures to hold the polls under the 1960 law is against the National Pact and thus illegitimate despite being legal,” Geagea said in a press release.
The caretaker cabinet will convene on Monday at the Baabda Palace to discuss the formation of the electoral supervisory commission and the electoral expenses, state-run National News Agency reported.
“The majority of Lebanese parties had rejected holding this electoral juncture under the 1960 law,” Geagea added.
“Instead of holding a cabinet session and reviving the 1960 law, the parliament must convene immediately to vote on a new electoral law, as holding the elections under the 1960 law would undermine the coexistence pact and drag the country into bigger chaos,” Geagea warned.
He categorically rejected “putting some factional interests ahead of the agreement reached over the past few months, especially in the Bkirki meetings, on refusing any return to the 1960 law and seeking a new electoral law.”
“Anyone who takes part in preparing for elections under the 1960 law would be contributing to imposing this law and preventing the adoption of any new law that ensures real representation for all Lebanese components,” Geagea added.
Several officials submitted on Friday their candidacies to the upcoming parliamentary polls, including the FPM, the LF, the AMAL movement and the March 14 Independent MPs to avoid uncontested victories despite strong objections over the adoption of the 1960 electoral law.
The parliamentary electoral subcommittee failed on Monday to reach an agreement over a new electoral law and Speaker Nabih Berri did not set a date for a new session.
Failure to reach consensus over an electoral law has raised fears of a political vacuum in Lebanon. In absence of consensus, the other two alternatives are holding the polls according to the 1960 law or extending the term of the current parliament.
Last week, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Lebanese Forces, MP Walid Jumblat’s National Struggle Front and March 14 alliance's independent lawmakers proposed a hybrid draft-law, which calls for 46 percent of MPs to be elected based on proportional representation and 54 percent under the winner-takes-all system.
Under the same proposal, Lebanon would be divided into 26 districts and six governorates.
But the members of the subcommittee that are part of the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance expressed reservations on it along with March 14's Phalange Party.
24 May 2013, 19:33
44
Well this is what Geagea gets for boycotting Parliament for months on end. Now he is crying because the 1960 Election Law is not fair to Sami.
How long ago was it that M14 was demanding the elections be held on time? And now of course they want a postponement. So much for their upholding of the Constitution.
Now He, Jumblatt and FM come up with a law without consultations with the other parties and he expects to get a vote when the Orthodox Law didn't.
Geagea is nothing if not consistent ... consistently conniving on how to help Geagea and then complaining about how his schemes have fallen apart because of his treachery.
24 May 2013, 19:41
35
Hakim, where were you when the last election was done with the same law,
how come you didn't say anything then
what has changed now
you fraud
24 May 2013, 19:41
43
Politics can be disgusting..... And now is the case more than ever. Only the populace is suffering.... Not the billionaires whom are fighting for a juicy mandate that'll grant them $19k/monthly for the MPs and even more for the ministerial portfolios. Privileges that Hellen and Roman gods wouldn't have dared to dream of. Yikis. Araf. Who cares about fair representation? I don't give a damn about it, I care that the country is managed properly and professionaly. This is all BS and the Christians back in 1960 and earlier understood this. Now that some of the Christians are sold to other regimes in order to stir chaos, they suddenly care about something that won't affect them in their daily lives. This applies to all sects, but the fuss in 2013 is about Christians .... And so on.
24 May 2013, 19:46
45
All those politicans are useless !!!!!! I think the best solution for Lebanon would be dictator , somebody who shows no mercy and who strikes any tension with an iron fist and he has to be a secular person of course . And when stability is achieved we can think about democrazy in a viable political system without any of our old politicans.
24 May 2013, 21:45
00
I can't believe that there are intelligent people who support M8 or M14. There are countless examples of politicians in both camps who flop back and forth based on personal gain. How many times have Aoun and Geagea done it? HB uses the "resistance" moniker to try to justify anything it does. It goes on and on. I don't blame the politicians because they're able to get away with it. I blame you people for allowing it to happen. What about a widespread boycott of the next election? Let the "winner" be decided with something like a 10% turnout in order to send a real message. Instead, each of you is starting to dust off your respective party flag so that you can wave it from the window of your car while you stick your head out like an idiot. This whole "my dad can beat up your dad" struggle needs to stop; you're all better than that (at least I hope you are).
24 May 2013, 21:51
23
The main reason why Lebanon's government is a major failure is due to the desire to hold on to politicians that took part in the Lebanese Civil War. Aoun, Geagea, Berri, Gemeyel...What are these people still doing 30 years after the civil war? Someone must ask for change.
24 May 2013, 21:52
23
The main reason why Lebanon's government is a major failure is due to the desire to hold on to politicians that took part in the Lebanese Civil War. Aoun, Geagea, Berri, Gemeyel...What are these people still doing 30 years after the civil war? Someone must ask for change.
24 May 2013, 23:11
00
We all know that Dr. Arreet 7akeh is a man of his word. Right? There is no need to list proofs in this limited space. So when the doc says the 1960 law harms coexistence and leads to bigger chaos, we know for sure that he really, really, really... well... umm... duh... does not mean it and that he really, really, really... well... umm... duh... prefers this law and none other. wlak min addak ya 7ak...awati m3a2ad.
25 May 2013, 17:19
10
please littleman sweep in front of M8 doors concerning murderers and so on ... only geagea was a civil war mafia leader? tell us... no M8 murderers or ones that gave orders to kill currently in politics?
even if so, he is legally representing a political party... you have to make do with it. or, ask for all the warlords that participated in the civil warto be ban from politics....
