Jumblat Rejects Berri’s Proportionality Proposal, Calls for Radical Reform
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat rejected a proposal made by Speaker Nabih Berri to consider Lebanon a single electoral district in a proportional representation law that would be adopted in the upcoming parliamentary elections and lead to the establishment of a senate.
“Honestly, I am not excited for a senate now because if we want to implement the Taef Accord literally then the formation of the senate is linked to the abolishment of political confessionalism which I don’t think is appropriate for the time being,” Jumblat told As Safir daily published Thursday.
His statement came in response to an initiative made by Berri for the adoption of a draft-law that would consider Lebanon a single electoral district in the 2013 polls to form a parliament that would preserve the rights of sects and shares while limiting the high-level of sectarianism.
The parliamentary elections will be followed by the formation of a senate as stipulated by the Taef accord, the speaker said.
“I appreciate Berri’s keenness on finding a solution or a way out for the electoral law and I thank him on his proposal but it’s not practical because his suggestion is not in harmony with the Taef (agreement’s) text,” Jumblat told As Safir.
He also said he doesn’t see any interest in reconsidering the accord.
Jumblat reiterated his call for a “radical reform that would abolish political confessionalism” before the adoption of the draft-law on proportionality.
“I believe we are short of time for such a suggestion” which keeps the choice of “adopting the 1960 law that I still hold on to as the only realistic option,” he said.
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