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18 May 2013, 12:33 Gemayel: Second, there is a failing political system that is unable to get Lebanon out of a state of vacuum.
18 May 2013, 12:33 Gemayel: We have to admit failure at two levels. First, the political factions are not able to neutralize Lebanon from regional turmoil.
18 May 2013, 12:32 Gemayel: All laws proposed do not guarantee victory to any party and this is why everyone is afraid to support them.
18 May 2013, 12:31 Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel after the parliamentary subcommittee's meeting: The problem we have reached is not technical at all.
18 May 2013, 12:27 Adwan: We are running out of time but I am positive that we can reach consensus without any interference.
18 May 2013, 12:26 Adwan: Each faction is trying to score a point in politics and in the elections. This is what is keeping us from agreeing on an electoral law.
18 May 2013, 12:25 Adwan: We have suggested that each electoral district with two MPs of the same sect to follow the winner-takes-all system in the elections.
18 May 2013, 12:24 Adwan: Are we able to reach a formula without one party trying to eliminate the others? The political perspective used to draft standards for the electoral laws is the problem.
18 May 2013, 12:22 Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan after the electoral subcommittee's meeting: We lament that we, the Lebanese, are not able to agree on a made-in-Lebanon electoral law, even without foreign interference.
18 May 2013, 12:17 Fayyad: We came to the electoral subcommittee's meetings with an intention to reach a consensus, but this did not happen.
18 May 2013, 12:16 Fayyad: I had asked MP Fatfat about his readiness to discuss the electoral districts with two parliamentary seats only, but he was not responsive.
18 May 2013, 12:15 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: When I talked about standards I meant technical criteria that allow for the distribution of seats between those to be elected based on proportional representation and those based on the winner-takes-all systems without any intentional bias.
18 May 2013, 12:14 Fayyad: The hybrid law is based on an open discretionary.
18 May 2013, 12:12 Aoun: This stage requires us to think deeply about the solution, either to adopt the 1960 electoral law or change the reality in 48 hours.
18 May 2013, 12:11 MP Alain Aoun after electoral subcommittee meeting: We have reached a standstill.
18 May 2013, 12:10 Fatfat: Berri assured that he will not put any electoral law for voting unless all parties agreed consensually.
18 May 2013, 12:09 Fatfat: We call on Speaker Berri to call for a parliament session to vote on the hybrid-law since it gains a parliamentary majority.
18 May 2013, 12:06 Fatfat: We should ask about the political gains of those who sought to fail agreement on the hybrid-law.
18 May 2013, 12:05 Fatfat: Hizbullah deputies will not attend the parliament session if the hybrid-law was put for voting, which will make the 1960 law as the only option.
18 May 2013, 12:04 Deputy Ahmad Fatfat following the subcommittee meeting: We have put forward the hybrid-electoral law which was deeply criticized.
18 May 2013, 12:00 LBCI: The electoral subcommittee meeting was adjourned to Monday.
18 May 2013, 11:20 Al-Jadeed quoting MP Akram Shehayeb: We might hold open-ended meetings until we reach consensus on an electoral law.
18 May 2013, 11:18 Al-Jadeed: The electoral subcommittee suspended its meeting and will resume after a short break.
18 May 2013, 11:16 LBCI quoting MP Ali Fayad from the parliament: The electoral subcommittee will hold a meeting on Monday.
18 May 2013, 10:47 President Michel Suleiman stressed before his visitors the importance of forming a new government and reaching an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral law.
18 May 2013, 10:31 Independent Christian March 14 deputies and officials held a meeting at the residence of MP Butros Harb to discuss the parliamentary elections and the lingering political crisis.
18 May 2013, 09:07 LF MP George Adwan according to LBCI: The LF, Mustaqbal, and independent candidates will submit their candidacies based on the 1960 law in order to prevent uncontested victories.
18 May 2013, 09:06 The meeting for the electoral subcommittee, chaired by Berri, is underway at parliament.
18 May 2013, 09:02 U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly left Beirut heading to Cairo.
18 May 2013, 08:59 VDL (100.5): The FSA announced the death of 10 Hizbullah fighters who were trying to infiltrate into the fields of al-Qusayr in Homs.
18 May 2013, 08:52 VDL (93.3): The army is inspecting passers-by and checking their identities in Tripoli as it launched a plan to pursue those who were involved in unrest earlier this week.
18 May 2013, 08:40 Keyrouz: The Syrian regime raised the number of MPs from 108 to 128 in order to create Muslim-Christian imbalance.
18 May 2013, 08:38 Keyrouz: Aoun's position on the Orthodox Gathering law shifted from that of a law that deepens sectarianism to one that represents the only way to achieve real representation.
18 May 2013, 08:36 Keyrouz: I call on the public and Christians to review MP Michel Aoun's positions on the electoral law and notice his ever-changing stances.
18 May 2013, 08:33 LF MP Elie Keyrouz from parliament: The hybrid draft law is an opportunity for political consensus and it offers proper representation.
18 May 2013, 08:27 Caretaker Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil from parliament: Depending on Speaker Nabih Berri's judgment, today's session may not be the last one for the electoral subcommittee
18 May 2013, 06:45 PSP leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks at his Clemenceau residence with Director of the North Africa and Middle East department at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jean-Francois Girault.
18 May 2013, 06:21 Security forces arrested 55 individuals throughout Lebanon for committing various crimes.
18 May 2013, 06:13 Beirut Maronite Bishop Boulos Matar to LF chief Samir Geagea and FPM leader MP Michel Aoun according to Free Lebanon radio: You must set all differences aside for the sake of the nation.
18 May 2013, 05:05 VDL (100.5): The army arrested three wanted suspects during raids in Tripoli's al-Baqqar neighborhood.
17 May 2013, 19:06 MTV: The army is reopening the Cola road after it was blocked with burning tires in protest at the arrest of Bilal Dahwish.
17 May 2013, 18:27 MP Serge Torsarkissian: Speaker Berri's proposal does not contain any standards, that's why we urge our colleagues to be realistic so that we can reach a result.
17 May 2013, 18:26 MP Serge Torsarkissian: Where is "constructive ambiguity" in adding a district to Ashrafiyeh with the aim of securing the win of March 8? We are also surprised when they said that without dividing Ashrafiyeh they would not agree to any solution.
17 May 2013, 18:23 MP Hagop Pakradonian: Non-Armenian parties cannot swap seats at our expense and I call on our allies and others to understand this point.
17 May 2013, 18:23 MP Hagop Pakradonian: The Armenian seats in Metn, Beirut and the Bekaa are not negotiable and they belong to their owners and to the Armenian parties.
17 May 2013, 18:22 MP Hagop Pakradonian: We cannot accept a second Doha Agreement and we are not the weak link.
17 May 2013, 18:21 MP Hagop Pakradonian: We were positive in the discussions and the 1960 law is behind us now and there is consensus on the hybrid law from the angle of proper Christian representation.
17 May 2013, 18:18 MP Alain Aoun: The distribution of seats and the discussion of Berri's proposal might lead to an agreement and this is the only solution in order to avoid the 1960 law or extension.
17 May 2013, 18:17 MP Alain Aoun: Berri said that he will raise his proposal for discussion again.
17 May 2013, 18:14 MP Alain Aoun: Is it acceptable to cancel the elections for the sake of certain figures?
17 May 2013, 18:13 MP Alain Aoun: We cannot divide Mount Lebanon in an absurd manner for the sake of the special status of the Druze which we respect, but this role must not be at the expense of Christians.
17 May 2013, 18:11 MP Alain Aoun: We're trying to avoid two bad options: extension and the 1960 law, that's why we're trying to start from a bad law that does not meet our aspirations in order to achieve amendments that can improve Christian representation.
17 May 2013, 18:09 MP Alain Aoun: The hybrid law is based on inconsistent standards and political ends that are obvious in many of its points.
17 May 2013, 18:08 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: The amendments we suggested are based on scientific and objective standards.
17 May 2013, 18:07 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: We realize the gravity of the situation and we urge everyone to rise above any sensitivities that might impede reaching an agreement. We will maintain our contacts in a bid to reach consensus and we're in a state of permanent communication with our allies. We must avoid vacuum and hold elections on time or as soon as possible.
17 May 2013, 18:05 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: Sidon, Bsharri and Batroun were excluded from the proportional representation system, and we suggested that one of the two MPs be elected under proportional representation but we have not reached a result. However, we will not spare any effort aimed at moving forward and we hope there will be a consensual proposal for all the Lebanese.
17 May 2013, 18:04 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: We gave the proposal a chance despite all the aforementioned remarks and we tried to introduce some essential amendments, but only a few amendments were accepted and the largest part of amendments has not been approved until the moment.
17 May 2013, 18:03 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: The hybrid law is the most bizarre law I have ever witnessed, it lacks consistency and it is extremely selective. MPs would be elected according to the winner-takes-all system in places where March 14 is strong and according to proportional representation in electorates where March 14 is weak.
17 May 2013, 18:02 Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayyad: We would have prefered if Berri's formula was discussed further.
17 May 2013, 18:01 MP Sami Gemayel: We call for holding a plenary session and putting all laws to a vote and let each party choose the law it wants.
17 May 2013, 18:01 MP Sami Gemayel: Everyone must show positivity in order to achieve proper representation for everyone.
17 May 2013, 18:00 MP Sami Gemayel: We have to put objective standards instead of deciding who will win in advance or deciding who will the 128 MPs be.
17 May 2013, 17:59 MP Sami Gemayel: No one must take their interests into consideration while seeking an electoral law, but must rather follow a unified standard that applies to everyone regardless of the final result.
17 May 2013, 17:59 MP Sami Gemayel: We said in the meeting that we cannot have a law that contains a selective approach and we cannot consider that certain electorates cannot be modified because such an approach cannot lead to an electoral law.
17 May 2013, 17:58 MP Sami Gemayel: Everyone is exerting efforts to reach the desired solution.
17 May 2013, 17:57 MP Sami Gemayel: We cannot allow a return to the war era by extending parliament's mandate and we cannot return to the 1960 law.
17 May 2013, 17:51 MP George Adwan: The LF urged Speaker Berri to hold a session for endorsing consensus.
17 May 2013, 17:49 MP Ahmed Fatfat: We're in continuous and full contact with the Phalange Party and we consider ourselves to be one team.
17 May 2013, 17:48 MP Ahmed Fatfat: Speaker Berri has pledged that political balance will always be preserved and we consider this an achievement.
17 May 2013, 17:47 MP Ahmed Fatfat: The Phalange Party did not raise the issue of dividing Beirut, but rather the South and the North, and we agreed to that but we received a strict answer that the South will not be divided.
17 May 2013, 17:46 MP Ahmed Fatfat: We will only accept extension if it is a technical extension for a very short period that does not exceed five months.
17 May 2013, 17:45 MP Ahmed Fatfat: We will carry on with defending the hybrid law as a long-term law that paves the ground for national ties and proper representation and we don't mind discussing any amendments.
17 May 2013, 17:44 MP Ahmed Fatfat: We categorically reject the 1960 law and reject that elections be held under it and we believe that only the hybrid law can pull the country out of the current dilemma.
17 May 2013, 17:36 Future TV: The parliamentary subcommittee will reconvene at noon Saturday.
17 May 2013, 17:03 Caretaker Interior Minister Charbel to Future TV: We will implement the 1960 law if no new law was reached because a law can only be annulled through another law.
17 May 2013, 16:43 Caretaker Labor Minister Jreissati to al-Manar: The basis for government's work is parliament's confidence and extension would happen through a new law and it is legitimate because it would allow the implementation of a new electoral law.
17 May 2013, 16:11 Development and Liberation bloc MP Ali Khreis: The last meeting of the parliamentary subcommittee was not positive and until the moment things are not encouraging and I urge all parties to offer concessions in a order to reach a result.
17 May 2013, 15:19 OTV quoting MP Alain Aoun: We're against extension and they have to decide whether they want a national plan or a vote plan that is tailored to fit their interests.
17 May 2013, 15:18 Ex-PM Hariri denied as baseless reports claiming that he is conducting secret talks with Hizbullah with the aim of returning to Lebanon.
17 May 2013, 15:11 LBCI: The parliamentary subcommittee has reconvened.
17 May 2013, 15:10 LBCI: Indications suggest that the subcommittee's members have become convinced that extension is inevitable and the discussion is over the period.
17 May 2013, 15:08 LBCI: Fatfat called for holding a plenary session and putting to a vote the formula of the hybrid law that was reached with the LF and the PSP, noting that it enjoys a majority of votes.
17 May 2013, 15:08 LBCI: During the subcommittee's meeting, a proposal was made to divide the North into two districts, one Muslim and one Christian, prompting Fatfat to demand the division of the South and Gemayel made a similar proposal, but they were rejected by Berri.
17 May 2013, 15:08 OTV quoting MP Akram Shehayyeb: No to a plenary session without substance and the most important thing is to avoid political vacuum.
17 May 2013, 15:04 LBCI quoting Phalange Party leader Gemayel: Speaker Berri must call for a plenary session and let democracy prevail and everyone vote the way they like.
17 May 2013, 14:54 MTV quoting MP Fatfat: We're against elections under the 1960 law, but should we submit our nominations, the aim would be to prevent the uncontested win of the candidates who have already nominated themselves.
17 May 2013, 14:36 Patriarch al-Rahi from Colombia: The country's interest is bigger than everyone and failing to reach a new electoral law would harm Lebanon's image.
17 May 2013, 13:39 MTV: Berri told Salam that he would have to form a broad cabinet that gathers everyone if elections were postponed.
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