Report: Al-Rahi Does Not Adopt Orthodox Gathering Electoral Draft Law
Matonite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has reportedly not adopted the Orthodox Gathering electoral draft law, said al-Mustaqbal daily on Thursday.
A source close to the patriarch explained that al-Rahi “had not favored any electoral law over another, simply voicing his rejection to the 1960 law.”
“The patriarch had allowed dialogue at Bkirki for Christian factions to reach an agreement over a new law where he simply encouraged their agreement over any draft law that appeases Christians and the Lebanese people,” he added.
“The patriarch did not adopt any law, but he outlined the general characteristics of a law that should achieve fair representation,” he continued.
The subcommittee resumed its meetings on Tuesday with representatives from the rival March 8 and 14 camps discussing a new electoral draft law.
The latest suggestion that received the backing of top rival Christian parties -The Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange Party and the Marada movement - was that of the Orthodox Gathering which calls for each sect to elect its own MPs under a proportional representation system based on a nationwide district.
But the proposal was criticized by President Michel Suleiman, Premier Najib Miqati, National Struggle Front leader Walid Jumblat and several other Christian MPs and officials.
The cabinet has also referred a bill to parliament that calls for dividing Lebanon into 13 medium districts based on proportional representation.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/67785 |