Kanaan Says Electoral Law to be 'First Mission after President Election'

Change and Reform bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan announced Wednesday that passing an electoral law will be “the first mission after the election of the president.”

“The election of a president in a manner that conforms with the National Pact would lead to rectifying the flaws through an electoral law that respects the Constitution and the National Pact and this will be the first mission after the election of the president,” said Kanaan at a joint press conference with Lebanese Forces bloc MP George Adwan in parliament.

The press conference followed a legislative session that witnessed the approval of urgent financial bills. The electoral law was on the session's agenda but the meeting lost its quorum after the approval of the financial draft laws.

“We will follow up on things and we hope to reach the results that we are hoping for through the election of a president and the approval of an electoral law as soon as possible, because this is essential if we want to restore confidence in the political system and achieve the needed reform regarding representation,” Kanaan added.

The parliament has extended its own term twice -- the first in 2013 and the second in 2014.

The extensions were partially prompted by the political forces' failure to agree on a new electoral law.

The presidential chances of Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun have largely surged in recent days and ex-PM Saad Hariri is expected to officially endorse his presidential nomination on Thursday.