Mashnouq: Elections to be Held on Time unless New Law Passed

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Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq announced Wednesday that the parliamentary elections “will be held on time” under the controversial 1960 electoral law unless a new law is passed.

“The elections will be held on time and won't be postponed for a single day, unless a new law is passed,” Mashnouq told reporters after a Cabinet session at the Grand Serail.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Saad Hariri had stressed that the government's “priority” is the organization of parliamentary elections.

Mashnouq and Speaker Nabih Berri had recently warned that the country is likely headed to parliamentary elections under the 1960 law due to the parties' failure to agree on a new law.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially Mustaqbal and the Progressive Socialist Party, have rejected the proposal, arguing that Hizbullah's weapons 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. 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.

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