Mashnouq Expects Agreement on Electoral Law before June 12 Session

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq has said that he expects that the political parties will manage to reach an agreement on the new electoral law before the June 12 parliamentary session.

“I expect that there will be a law before the June 12 session,” Mashnouq told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Thursday, although he noted that “the current proposals require major national agreements that are not available at the moment.”

“Anyhow, there are serious discussions aimed at reaching a law, because vacuum is prohibited and it has become clear that even one hour of vacuum is unacceptable,” the minister added.

The country's main political parties have recently agreed that the new electoral law should be fully based on proportional representation and 15 electoral districts but they are still wrangling over the electoral system's mechanisms and technicalities, especially those related to the representation of sects.

Lebanon has not organized parliamentary elections since 2009 and the legislature has since extended its own term twice. The second extended term will expire on June 20.