Aoun Vows 'Strong Measures' over Electoral Law, Warns of 'Dangerous' Legislative Session

Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun stressed Tuesday that the electoral law must be put on the agenda of the upcoming legislative session, warning that his bloc will take “strong and decisive measures” Wednesday over the issue.

“The agenda is not limited to financial legislation, contrary to the agreement that we made when we discussed the legislation of necessity,” said Aoun after the bloc's weekly meeting, referring to the legislative session that will be held on Thursday and Friday.

“We insist that the electoral law must be place on the session's agenda and no one can prevent us from including it,” Aoun underlined.

Warning that the session would be unconstitutional without the attendance of the country's main Christian parties, Aoun noted that legislation must be limited to “the formation of authorities” in the absence of a president.

“A year and five months have passed and I don't see real measures aimed at approving a new electoral law,” Aoun lamented, noting that his bloc's promised measures will become known “by noon tomorrow.”

“A session without us would be a dangerous precedent,” the Change and Reform chief cautioned.

"Those claiming that they will represent Christians in the legislative session only represent a few thousand voters," he warned.

Aoun also reminded of his proposal on devising an electoral law based on proportional representation, noting that it would be “the first step on the track of abolishing sectarianism.”

The legislative session is scheduled for November 12 and 13 amid a declared boycott by the Kataeb Party over the ongoing presidential vacuum.

The Lebanese Forces and Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement are unlikely to attend either over the failure to include the parliamentary electoral law on the session's agenda.

Aoun also noted Tuesday that his alliance with Hizbullah will not be affected by the current political controversy.

"Our stance on the resistance and the anti-terror fight is not part of the political conflicts and it is 'firmer than the Baalbek citadel,'" he said.

Y.R.