Hamadeh: The Ball is in the FPM's Court

Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh said on Monday that an agreement on an electoral law is the responsibility of the Free Patriotic Movement now, as he urged against coming up with new “surprises” that only hinder an accord.

In an interview with VDL (100.5), Hamadeh threw the ball in the FPM's court and said: “The representation of expatriates is very important, but the manner of their representation is still disputed. I do not see the need to make it a controversial issue.”

“Those who do not want a vote law agreement can always come up with new demands,” added Hamadeh.

FPM chief Jebran Bassil had suggested that six parliament seats, out of the current 128, are to be reserved for the representation of Lebanese diaspora.

His suggestion was not approved mainly by the Shiite parties.

Referring to a proposal on the redistribution of parliamentary seats, as suggested by the FPM and Lebanese Forces, Hamadeh remarked that raising the issue at the current circumstances “will create endless problems.”

The political parties have agreed on a law based on full proportional representation and 15 districts but the FPM and the LF are reportedly demanding the reallocation of three Maronite seats from Muslim-majority districts to Christian-majority districts.

The FPM and the LF believe that moving a Maronite seat from Tripoli to Batroun, another from West Bekaa to Jbeil and another from Baalbek-Hermel to Bsharri would raise Christians' ability to elect MPs with their own votes to 50 out of 64 seats, media reports say.

The Minister concluded saying that everything depends on the consultations that will be held in the coming hours, “although a number of issues remain pending but it is important to adopt the proportional representation law with 15 electoral districts,” he said.