Thorny Extension of Expat Registration Referred to Electoral Panel after Futile Cabinet Debate
The Cabinet on Thursday referred to the electoral ministerial panel a controversial suggestion from Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil to extend the deadline for the registration of Lebanese expats who wish to vote abroad in the parliamentary polls, which if approved requires changes to the vote law.
The panel is expected to take a decision on Monday.
Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said the suggestion was referred to the panel at the request of Prime Minister Saad Hariri after it was discussed during the cabinet session.
“The Free Patriotic Movement had rejected the extension of parliament's term and is currently demanding the implementation of the law, so how can it be accused of seeking to delay the elections?” Bassil had told reporters prior to the session.
Public Works and Transport Minister Youssef Fenianos of the Marada Movement meanwhile said he endorses AMAL Movement's stance, warning that “any amendment would lead to postponing the elections.”
Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh, who boycotted the session over issues related to his ministry, said Bassil's proposal is “purely for electoral gain motives.”
“It is unnecessary because we're running out of time,” Hamadeh said in a radio interview.
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq told reporters before joining the meeting that the government would discuss the proposal although “it is going to be difficult to implement administratively.”
Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan Hasbani said the idea “is a good one” but the process is time-consuming and will leave the government with limited time to process the suggestion until its publication in the Official Gazette.
“Extending the registration deadline for expats is a good idea but we have to take into consideration how much time will be left for us until February 15 to open an extraordinary parliament session and a general session before publishing the amendment in the Official Gazette,” he said before the Cabinet meeting.
For his part, State Minister for Parliament Affairs of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party Ali Qanso said: “There is no readiness for any amendment to the election law, knowing that we as a party have an interest in this, but it is time-consuming and only complicates differences.”
Labor Minister Mohammed Kabbara of al-Mustaqbal Movement said: “Making changes to the new electoral law opens the door for more changes which could lead to postponing the elections.”
Bassil has reportedly argued that expatriates may have been discouraged to register following Hariri's now-reversed resignation. He therefore wishes to give them additional chance now that the political process is “back to normal” after the Premier's withdrawal of his resignation.
Speaker Nabih Berri has reiterated that he rejects the suggestion because it entails amendments to the electoral law.
Lebanon's elections are scheduled for May, while overseas ballots will be cast in April.
Shall the government approve the proposal, registration for expats would be extended until February 15.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/241016 |