Bassil Says FPM Blocked Extension, Won't Accept 'Bad' Electoral Law

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil boasted Tuesday that the FPM has “managed to prevent” another extension of parliament's term and another return to the 1960 electoral law, while stressing that his movement will not accept a “bad” electoral law.

“What has been achieved until now is preventing extension, which would have posed a great threat to Lebanon, and our political will is what blocked extension,” said Bassil after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform bloc in Rabieh.

“The 1960 law was also blocked through the president's decision to refrain from signing the decree calling for elections, and those accusing us of seeking the 1960 law can refer to that,” Bassil added.

“We will also seek to prevent vacuum, which is the third threat that is awaiting us, and the first way to prevent it is through the approval of a new electoral law. In order to prevent vacuum, we are obliged to go to a vote and no one can prevent us from voting in constitutional institutions,” the FPM chief went on to say.

He warned that “the entire political situation” would change after June 20 should the FPM be “prevented from passing a new electoral law.”

“Those who try to impose that would bear the responsibility for vacuum and what it might bring,” Bassil cautioned.

“If they try to prevent us from voting in the constitutional institutions, we would resort to a popular vote,” the FPM chief added.

“There are parties seeking to prolong the political situation that has been running since 1990 through the 1960 law or extension, and no one can impose an electoral law on us,” Bassil said, stressing that his movement will not accept a “bad” law.