Naharnet

Report: Electoral Law Meeting Declared as 'Important' Fails to Accomplish Desired Results

An evening meeting held in Ain el-Tineh on Sunday between several political figures, failed to reach decisive results as for an agreement on a new parliamentary electoral law, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The meeting brought together in Ain el-Tineh Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, director of the premier's office Nader Hariri, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan and Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, media reports said.

The Speaker had on Sunday declared that a “very important meeting” will be held in the evening and "perhaps it could be a crossroads that leads us to a solution and an electoral law.”

Although a breakthrough was not recorded, but the “discussions were frank” and the conferees agreed to continue discussions, said the daily.

Sources that followed up closely on the gathering, told the newspaper that the atmospheres were “positive” and the postponement of the parliament session for two weeks indicates that serious attempts will be made to agree on a law. Some of the participants in the meeting will continue their contacts with various parties to bring the points of view closer together.

On the other hand, the same sources admitted that the position of Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil, conveyed through Adwan to the conferees, was the reason for not reaching practical results.

According to the sources, the crisis between Berri and Bassil has spiked when the latter had reportedly accused Berri of “thwarting” all his proposals for the election law. Moreover, Bassil had intentionally missed to attend the meeting to thwart a law proposal submitted by Berri that calls for staging the elections under a proportional representation system and the creation of a senate.

Sources close to Berri had anticipated on Sunday that the evening meeting could be a chance to endorse Berri's electoral format.

Berri had recently proposed the election of a parliament under a proportional representation system in six electoral districts and the creation of a senate that addresses the concerns of the country's sectarian components.

But media reports said the parliament speaker intends to withdraw this proposal and that Lebanese Forces deputy leader MP George Adwan is trying to convince the political parties of an amended version of Berri's proposal.

Source: Naharnet


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