Fayyad: Ideal Solution is Law Fully Based on Proportional Representation, Large Electorates

Hizbullah MP Ali Fayyad announced Sunday that “the ideal, simplest and least complicated solution” for approving a new electoral law would be endorsing an electoral system fully based on proportional representation in large electoral districts.

“Any debate on the electoral law that strays away from full proportional representation will run into the obstacles of selectivity and arbitrary and non-unified standards,” Fayyad, who is a member of a four-party panel debating a new electoral law, warned.

“The ideal, simplest and least complicated solution for passing an electoral law based on clear and understandable standards and on simple formulas that can be grasped by ordinary citizens, politicians and candidates would be resorting to a law fully based on proportional representation and large electorates,” Fayyad added.

“Accordingly, when we call for this, no one can accuse us that we are thinking or behaving according to a partisan or sectarian approach,” the MP went on to say.

While al-Mustaqbal Movement has rejected that the electoral law be fully based on proportional representation, arguing that Hizbullah's arms would prevent serious competition in the party's strongholds, Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat has totally rejected proportional representation, even within a hybrid law, warning that it would “marginalize” the minority Druze community.

Hizbullah, Mustaqbal, the Free Patriotic Movement, AMAL Movement and the Lebanese Forces are meanwhile discussing several formats of a so-called hybrid electoral law that mixes proportional representation with the winner-takes-all system.

The country has not organized parliamentary elections since 2009 and the legislature has instead twice extended its own mandate.

The last polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next vote is scheduled for May.