Gemayel to Berri: Discussing an Election Law Part of Parliament's Duties

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Kataeb party chief MP Sami Gemayel stressed on Wednesday that the parliament should have included the controversial electoral law on its agenda in order to vote on one.

“The parliament's duties is to include, discuss and approve an election law during its meeting,” said Gemayel.

Stressing the need to approve an electoral law that ensures proper representation, the MP addressed Berri at the beginning of the session, he said: “I know you are upset because a new law has not yet been approved. The majority of the Lebanese want the change.”

The parliament convenes on Wednesday to tackle 73 draft laws on its agenda that does not include the thorny election law.

Political parties are bickering over amending the current 1960 law which divides seats among the different religious sects.

The current parliament has failed to amend the law, and has extended its mandate twice amid criticism. New elections are scheduled for May 2017.

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

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party 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.

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