Geagea Says Electoral Law Discussions Are Serious this Time
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed hope that the rival lawmakers would end up agreeing on a new electoral law as a parliamentary committee kick off on Monday talks on the controversial issue.
“The meeting of the committee this time is not just aimed at holding discussions. The evidence to that is the one-month deadline for consensus,” said Geagea.
Speaker Nabih Berri, who headed the meeting of the committee, has said he would give the rival MPs one month to agree on a new law or else he would hold parliamentary sessions to discuss several electoral draft-laws.
Geagea said “the roadmap is very clear and the dates are specified. They should end with (a deal) on a new electoral law,” which he described as a “national achievement.”
An Nahar said said al-Mustaqbal movement, the LF and the Progressive Socialist Party will vote for a law which they have proposed. It combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.
Geagea said the three parties will “make their stances clear even if Berri puts another draft-law for discussion first.”
He stressed that the LF will not back off from its proposal, which guarantees the best representation possible for Christians.
Earlier this month, Lebanese lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to extend their mandate by another two years and seven months, skipping scheduled elections for the second consecutive time.
The vote gave parliament eight full years in power— double its allowed mandate — to June 2017. Ninety-five lawmakers among those who showed up voted in favor of the extension, while two opposed.
The pro-extension MPs claimed they needed to extend their own term in office because Lebanon's security situation is too dire to allow holding elections amid neighboring Syria's civil war.
They also said extending parliament's mandate will prevent another power vacuum from forming in a country already divided along sectarian and regional lines.
The first time the legislature extended its mandate was in May 2013 after the rival MPs failed to agree on a new electoral law.
Most blocs have announced their rejection to the 1960 law that is based on a winner-takes-all system. It was used in the 2009 elections.
But they have made separate proposals, a sign that the parliamentary sessions would witness heavy debate among the lawmakers if the committee fails to reach consensus within a month.
G.K.
H.K.
17 November 2014, 08:50
711
You claim you proposed the Orthodox Gathering. The Joint Parliamentary Committee voted in favor of it.
Than you claimed if Amal and Hizballa agree with it you will vote for it. They did.
You got to the doors of Parliament and changed your mind.
You are a liar and destroyer of Christians.
You bombed Baabda the Presidential Palace in 1990 in coordination with Syrian jets.
17 November 2014, 11:39
106
The only destroyer of the Christians is the caporal of rabiyeh who is accepting the Mutelateh....
17 November 2014, 14:45
46
@Humble, the old man of Rabieh still believes that he will be president. What is even funnier is that Sayed Hassan's eyes see no other than his love for Aoun whom he wishes to see president. Of course, all that he will be is an official rubber-stamper for Hezbollah. Well, too bad for them both, Aoun will end his life never to see that much coveted seat, and Sayed Hassan will continue to live underground indefinitely. This is when dreams die a natural death. We shall have our president and definitely, it won't be the old senile of Rabieh, definitely Not.
17 November 2014, 16:20
45
Phoenix, old pal. It will definitely not be Geagea neither. So on that note, we will just have to wait for year 2017, then we can continue on the subject.
17 November 2014, 17:03
32
Of course not Mystic, thank God it won't be Geagea either, but more like someone who is neither General nor Doctor. Then it won't be 2017 either, we're talking a lot closer, a lot closer. keep watching this space.
17 November 2014, 17:14
35
Time will tell phoenix, the way things are now, I wouldn't get my hopes up. We will see Lebanon without a President for quite some time, everybody disagrees. You guys want a pro western anti Hezbollah President, the rest of us, wants the opposite.
You see where we are going?
17 November 2014, 11:59
47
electoral law discussions are serioue this time
The meeting of the committee this time is not just aimed at holding discussions
thank you ya MR geagea now we know how you tackled these issues before
or shall we say now we know that your just a muppet that moves when they pull youe strings
17 November 2014, 13:49
76
The extension will hold, until 2017. If you guys don't find a more reliable candidate. Forget about Geagea, if you want elections.
If you can't forget about him, then don't whine every single day about M8 blocking anything.
It is you stubborn people, that blocks the elections by allowing this child killer to stand as a candidate.
17 November 2014, 15:35
75
Ya Mystic... Geagea offered to withdraw his candidacy if Aoun would deconsider his... he also offered to sit with him and come up with a name suitable for both... Aoun refused... so please... spare us your BS...
17 November 2014, 15:51
55
You guys keep having the same attitudes, and whine about everything. Then I have to repeat, wait for 2017, then we can talk on the matter again.
Until then, stop whining about elections.
17 November 2014, 16:33
35
Geagea managed to get 48 votes against 60 white bulletin, he has 7 deputies while aoun has 28, he has a maximum of 12-15% of christians on his side while aoun has about 52%. this is not a deal this is a joke. the christians have the right to have for once their primary leader representing them. If geagea doesn't trust the election result anymore let us go for one of the 3 option FPM proposed:
1- new elections
2- direct presidential election from the people
3- Christian sensus supervised by Bkerke
But will geagea dare refer to the people? of course not since he knows his popularity is down to earth after allying with Ekhwan and assir and daesh and...
17 November 2014, 16:26
35
(1). Mystic, what's bothering you with people asking for a president? Geagea has been quite clear since day one, he is only a candidate, if he gets the votes, so be it. But then, where are the other candidates? Was Aoun forthright from the beginning? No he wasn't? Was Sayed Hassan either? No he wasn't. All this procrastination is easy to understand, Aoun is dying for the seat, Sayed Hassan knows this and whom better than a lackey than Aoun to do whatever Hezbollah asks for? President Suleiman was loathed because he stood on the way of Hezbollah, now HA is doing all it can to have another NIET presidency for them. Then Geagea, for God's sake, is he the only guy with blood on the hands? Mystic, where is your conscience, every warlord has blood on the hands, and sorry to say this, even Sayed Hassan has.
17 November 2014, 16:42
35
Phoenix, nothing is bothering me, I am fine the way things are now. Rather have no president, than some pro American zionist, that you guys are so eager to get into power. Sulaiman, were also about to go that awful way, but his term expired, and here we are.
No president, and you guys keeps begging for one everyday. Well mate, prepare for more. Aslong as serving Israel and the West remains you guys priority, then you will have to stand in line with the rest of the M14, and complain until 2017.
17 November 2014, 17:02
44
Mystic, for once, can we work and live out of that old Israeli ranting shadow? Suleiman was no Israeli, Geagea too and that certainly beats being an Iranian or Syrian puppet. Your move bro.
17 November 2014, 17:16
35
To say Geagea and Sulaiman, isn't Israeli puppets, is hair-shirted nonsense. There is nothing to move on phoenix, we disagree deeply on this issue.
17 November 2014, 16:26
34
(2). Mystic. With Geagea your worry is that he won't be a rubber stamper, that's all, and this is very true, so just be straight with the issue rather than turning round the issue. By most accounts, before the end of this year, and contrary to your views, God willing, there will be a new president and it won't be Aoun.
17 November 2014, 13:50
56
"He stressed that the LF will not back off from its proposal, which guarantees the best representation possible for Christians" no Mr.Geagea the best law is the orthodox law you back stapped! actually wasn't it you deputy Me Adwan who said the LF accepted the christian loss of 10 deputies for the sake of "national peace" ? so please stop the lies and say it straight forward for once: U are a traitor abiding by the Saoudi orders. for that you are getting paid and you have the luxury of residing in 100's of million dollars worth palace...
17 November 2014, 14:55
56
Slash I wonder how what you said is linked to this article. But i will answer you maybe you'll feel a bit more knowledgeable by the end of this.
Fled in his pyjamas: he left for the embassy to sign an armistice wearing his military clothes, a priest clothing, Santa’s cloth red cloak… how on earth did anybody know what he was wearing? He asked his soldiers to surrender in order to preserve their lives long before he left the Baabda presidential palace, unfortunately communications were off and the few soldiers who didn’t receive the message died defending a country Geagea sold to the Syrian/Saudi/Israeli coalition for promises of power and wealth .
17 November 2014, 15:03
46
peacelover thank you for your very deep and enlighting comment you are trully a typical elite owatje
17 November 2014, 16:15
74
Cardinal Al-Rai reveling Aounist ongoing lies about the Orthodox law
http://m.naharnet.com/stories/en/78655-al-rahi-before-traveling-to-paris-rival-parties-seeking-to-strike-deal-on-hybrid-law
17 November 2014, 16:41
45
I read the article Karim and it's just patriarch expressing his opinion. This opinion was later proved wong by Kataeb, Marada and FPM sticking to Bkerke agreement while Geagea as usual committed treason by backstabbing the Christian unanimous decision
17 November 2014, 17:13
64
And the lie goes on, actually look at the date this was not Al Rai's personal opinion he was expressing what the Christian leaders had agreed to in Bkirki under his advisory. This was the last meeting in Bkirki of the repsi of the "big four" and after everyone accepted that the Orthodox law was a non starter. Berri himself put the death nail in it when he confirmed that he will not convene a Parliament that violates the National Pact.
"The Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange party and the Marada movement representatives agreed during a meeting held under al-Rahi in Bkirki last week to suspend the Orthodox proposal. They also pledged not to run for elections under the 1960 law."
17 November 2014, 18:18
30
go and play with your dolls with your 128 other friends... it is all you MPs and pseudo leaders know....
17 November 2014, 21:12
31
the vision of the Patriarch of Lebanon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKr41ryTzc8
17 November 2014, 22:07
13
boycotted? what boycott?
Aoun, Gemayel, Franjieh Meet in Bkirki amid Geagea's Absence - Naharnet 28 March 2014
Rai, who had earlier Thursday met with Geagea in Bkirki - DailyStar May 9, 2014
Geagea after Meeting al-Rahi: There is a 'War of Elimination' on Presidency - Naharnet 24 June 2014
