Khoury Calls for Leaving 1960 out of Discussions: We Will Find a New Law

Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury voiced calls on Thursday to leave out the 1960 election law from deliberations since everyone else wants a new law for the parliamentary elections.

“Everybody wants a new law and we will find one. The ongoing discussions indicate that a de facto law will not be endorsed, only a consensual law will be passed,” Khoury told the daily in an interview.

Referring to the deadlines for endorsing a new law, the Minister said: “The deadlines are not pressing to the point being pictured. If we were able to find a law after calling the electoral supervisory commission, then we can amend the deadline.”

In order for the elections to be held on May 21, the Interior Minister must call for elections and complete all preparations before February 21.

The majority of Lebanon's political parties, mainly the Lebanese Forces, al-Mustaqbal Movement and the President, refuse the 1960 law.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially Mustaqbal, 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.

The parties are discussing several formats of the so-called hybrid law but the Progressive Socialist Party has raised the alarm over the representation of the minority Druze community, warning that any law containing proportional representation would “marginalize” Druze in the political system.

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.