Geagea Lauds Hariri, Shrugs off Differences on Vote Law
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hailed on Thursday ex-Prime Minister Saad Hariri for exerting strong efforts to help the different factions agree on an electoral draft-law that guarantees the best representation for all the Lebanese.
In remarks to An Nahar daily, Geagea said he was glad that discussions on an electoral draft-law have reached their final stages. “We will continue to seek with al-Mustaqbal movement and the rest of the parties in the parliamentary subcommittee to reach (an agreement) on the law.”
The joint parliamentary committees have extended the mission of the subcommittee for 15 days to discuss starting Monday a hybrid draft-law that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.
Geagea said Speaker Nabih Berri reacted positively to the LF MPs' insistence to extend the mission.
The joint committees held on Wednesday a two-hour meeting under Berri and in the absence of al-Mustaqbal movement, which has boycotted all government-related activity.
But Geagea said: “I don't think we can agree on a new law in the absence of al-Mustaqbal.”
Berri invited the members of the joint committees to attend open-ended meetings starting February 18 to discuss electoral draft-laws in parallel with the subcommittee's discussions that are only set to focus on the hybrid proposal.
Asked about the LF's differences with al-Mustaqbal on the electoral draft-law, Geagea said: “Different viewpoints among allies on the electoral law … do not mean there is an essential problem that could lead to the collapse of the March 14 coalition.”
“We are trying on a daily basis to bring the viewpoints closer … and our contacts haven't been lost,” he said.
“The electoral law controversy will end in a week or two, 10 elections would take place and March 14 will remain united,” Geagea added.
The LF has expressed support for the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal that calls for a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own lawmakers under a proportional representation system.
But al-Mustaqbal, which stood firm in favor of a winner-takes-all system, criticized it for harming the social fabric.
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