Report: Lebanon Still Faces Many Challenges After Vote Law

Although Lebanon's government agreed after long negotiations on a vote law that will govern its parliamentary elections in 2018, but it still has a lot of challenges ahead to face including repercussions of the Syrian war and the US sanctions on Hizbullah and the burgeoning crisis of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

“The government can not sleep on the glory of agreeing on a new electoral law or the completion of the Baabda Declaration because the challenges facing Lebanon at this stage are enormous,” ministerial sources told al-Joumhouria daily on Wednesday.

“First, the repercussions of the Syrian war on Lebanon in light of reports about a new battle to be waged against the Islamic State militant group and the Nusra Front in the outskirts of Arsal,” said the sources on condition of anonymity pointing out the challenges.

“Second, it must find ways to confront the US sanctions that will be imposed on Hizbullah in Lebanon and abroad, which could impact the financial and economic situation in the country and the overall general condition,” they added.

“Third, the fate of displaced Syrians in Lebanon in light of new positions made by the UN and decision-making states calling for the 'absorption' of refugees where they are. Although President Michel Aoun has given this issue great significance, but he received no positive response from the international and Arab communities.”

In June, Lebanon's cabinet approved after marathon negotiations a new electoral law based on proportional representation and 15 electoral districts, replacing the winner-takes-all system for the first time in the country's history.

The elections are set to be held in May 2018.