Charbel Expects Failure to Agree on New Vote Proposal, Says 1960 Law should be Amended
Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel reiterated on Wednesday that the solution to the electoral crisis lies in adopting the 1960 law with some amendments to improve the representation of Christians.
In remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, Charbel said that the law, which considers the qada an electoral district and is based on the winner-takes-all system, is still valid.
He expected the rival March 8 and 14 alliances to reach a dead-end during four days of consecutive parliamentary sessions that Speaker Nabih Berri has called for.
“We have to wait a little until the (different) parties reach a dead-end and decide that there is no solution but to return to the 1960 law,” the caretaker minister told the daily.
Asked about what kind of amendments should be introduced so that it becomes acceptable by the Christians, Charbel said: “We are studying ways that it (the law) becomes acceptable by all sides.”
“It could become so if we only amend one article in it,” he added.
In other remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper, Charbel said he had to reopen the door for the announcement of candidacies based on the 1960 law after May 19 for the elections that are set to be held on June 16.
Last month, the parliament approved a draft-law to suspend the deadline for submitting nominations until May 19.
The law states that the interior ministry will resume accepting nominations on May 20 and until May 25.
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