Hizbullah Warns of 'Frustration' if 1960 Electoral Law Re-Endorsed

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Hizbullah has renewed adherence to endorsing an electoral law based on proportional representation system, which head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammed Raad dubbed as the “rightful” decision.

Holding the parliamentary elections based on proportional representation system is the “best formulation to achieve justice and efficiency in parliamentary representation,” he said.

For his part, member of the same bloc MP Ali Fayyad stated: “If proportional representation was hampered and the 1960 law was endorsed instead, we expect to be in front of an inclusive depression and frustration among all communities."

Furthermore, Senior Hizbullah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, said: “The 1960 law is hampering the path of the new term (of President Michel Aoun). Endorsing that law again is the shortest way to to judge the new government's experience as a failure."

Hizbullah's comments came after Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq stated on Sunday that it will be difficult to pass a new electoral law before the deadlines expire, which has given the impression that the country is headed once again to the controversial 1960 law.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially the Progressive Socialist Party and al-Mustaqbal Movement, have rejected the proposal, arguing that the party's controversial arsenal of arms would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party has clout.

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the PSP have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.

The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.

The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.

Comments 2
Default-user-icon the_roar (Guest) 16 January 2017, 10:50

hello, I am the _roar. I support hezballah and I want them to change the law so they could win the elections. I am a Christian from Haret Hreik in Brisbane, Australia. I read every comment on the forum but i usually do not post.

Thumb Elemental 16 January 2017, 19:22

I say Iranian foreigners masquerading as Lebanese have no say.