Change and Reform Asks Opponents of Bassil Proposal for 'Alternatives', Vows to 'Resist' 1960 Law, Extension

The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc announced Tuesday that it is “awaiting answers” regarding the latest electoral law format that was proposed by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, as it vowed to “resist” any attempt to impose the 1960 electoral law or another extension of parliament's term.

“We are awaiting official answers from all parties, especially Hizbullah,” MP Alain Aoun announced after the bloc's weekly meeting in Rabieh.

“We cannot wait any longer and any group that rejects the proposal must have an alternative suggestion and we are flexible regarding introducing amendments to what we have proposed,” Aoun added.

“The responsibility falls on all the other forces to make initiatives and propose solutions to the crisis we are going through,” he went on to say.

Stressing that the elections “will not be held under the 1960 law and there won't be an extension,” Aoun vowed that the bloc and the FPM will “resist” the two possibilities “through all constitutional means, starting by the presidency and the parliamentary bloc.”

“We will prevent these possibilities and the entire people are with us and we won't accept a third extension of parliament's term,” the MP went on to say.

Bassil's proposal calls for electing 64 MPs according to the proportional representation system in five electorates whereas the other 64 would be elected by their respective sects under a winner-takes-all system in 14 electorates.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but al-Mustaqbal Movement and Druze leader MP Walid Jumblat have both rejected the proposal.

Mustaqbal argues that Hizbullah's arms would prevent serious competition in the party's strongholds while Jumblat has warned that such an electoral system would “marginalize” the minority Druze community whose presence is concentrated in the Chouf and Aley areas.