Kataeb Slams 'Failure to Deal with Electoral Law as a Priority'

The Kataeb Party on Tuesday condemned the political forces' failure to “deal with the electoral law as a priority,” warning that “the deadlines are nearing.”

“Any procrastination in passing the new law and its main elements, especially the supervisory commission and the setting of dates for the electoral bodies, would put the country before two bad choices – the rejected 1960 law or a third extension” of the parliament's term, said a statement issued by Kataeb's politburo after its weekly meeting.

Both choices would “deal a new blow to democracy,” the party warned.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq had recently warned that there is not much time left to pass a new electoral law while announcing that the ministry is ready to organize the polls under the 1960 law.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially al-Mustaqbal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party, have rejected the proposal and argued that the party's controversial arsenal of arms would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party has clout.

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the PSP have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.

The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.

The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.