Joint Parliamentary Committees to Discuss Hybrid Electoral Law next Week
The joint parliamentary committees convened on Thursday without reaching an agreement on a new parliamentary electoral law.
The gatherers instead agreed to hold a meeting next Thursday during which they will tackle the hybrid electoral draft-law.
This decision was taken after the rejection by various gatherers of both the 1960s electoral law and the proportional law.
Deputy Speaker Farid Makari told reporters that the hybrid law will be the center of future discussions because of the lingering differences over the 1960s and proportional representation draft-laws.
Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan meanwhile noted that “a return to the 1960s law means the prolongation of the current political crisis.”
“It will mean the return of the so-called national unity government that in reality has nothing to do with unity,” he continued from parliament.
“The 1960 law does not allow room for holding officials accountable and therefore corruption will persist.”
“I therefore urge the Lebanese people to exert pressure to adopt a fair electoral law. An electoral law is key to paving the way to achieving reform,” he stressed.
Mustaqbal MP Ahmed Fatfat expressed his bloc's rejection of the proportional representation draft-law, instead voicing support for the hybrid law.
He noted however that “great progress” has been achieved at the joint parliamentary committees meeting.
Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun differed in his assessment, saying that the committee meetings have entered a “period of stalling” until an agreement can be made over the proposal made by Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday aimed at ending the political deadlock.
“Those seeking to facilitate the adoption of a new electoral law should not complicate discussions.”
“Should we fail to agree on a new law, then we will head to the polls based on the 1960s law because it is a better option than the extension of parliament's term.”
The speaker proposed before the national dialogue session that the term of parliament be shortened and that an agreement be reached over a new electoral law be reached.
The 1960s law will be adopted should the parties fail to agree on a new one.
He also suggested that the parliamentary polls will be followed by the election of a new president and later the formation of a national unity government.
Disagreements between the rival political powers over an electoral law forced parliament to twice extend its own term, once in 2013 and another time in 2014.
Its term ends in June 2017.
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