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Mustaqbal Reiterates Call for Hybrid Electoral Law, Timely Polls

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday renewed its call for a “hybrid” electoral law and holding the parliamentary elections on time.

“The bloc has not changed its stance and all political parties must exert coordinated efforts to approve a new electoral law based on winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.

It also stressed the need to “hold the elections on time and without any delay.”

Speaker Nabih Berri and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq have warned that the country is likely headed to parliamentary elections under the controversial 1960 electoral law due to the parties' failure to agree on a new law.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially Mustaqbal and the Progressive Socialist Party, have rejected the proposal, arguing that Hizbullah's weapons 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. 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.


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