FPM, LF Slam Proposed Electoral Law as Bid to 'Change Political System'

W460

Lawmakers from the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces on Wednesday rejected a proposed electoral law and described it as an “attempt to change the political system.”

“What is proposed is not related to changing the electoral law but rather to changing the political system in Lebanon,” MP Georges Adwan of the LF-led Strong Republic bloc said after a meeting for the joint parliamentary committees.

“The timing of proposing a change to the political system is not sound, and when we raise this issue we must take into consideration that we are a pluralistic country containing components whose presence and proper representation should be respected,” Adwan added.

He also noted that the current electoral law, under which the 2018 polls were held, is “the first law in 30 years that largely achieves correct and effective representation.”

MP Alain Aoun of the FPM-led Strong Lebanon bloc meanwhile said the discussions were “calm, profound and responsible.”

“The debate should acknowledge the presence of an electoral law that is in effect and we are before a suggestion that tackles constitutional issues and a change to the political system,” Aoun added.

He also said that he suggested referring the issue of the electoral law to a national dialogue conference because it would be “the appropriate place to discuss it.”

MP Ali Fayyad of Hizbullah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc for his part said that “nothing prevents discussing some of the electoral law’s weak points.”

“We have some technical remarks and we prefer electoral districts that are confessionally mixed,” he added.

“There is no need to discuss the issue of the electoral law in a tense manner and we don’t mind keeping the current law,” Fayyad went on to say.

MP Qassem Hashem of Speaker Nabih Berri’s Development and Liberation bloc meanwhile said that his bloc has proposed “a modern electoral law.”

“The current law is not the best and what’s important is to reach a civil state through the electoral law,” Hashem added.

The draft law submitted by the bloc calls for turning Lebanon into a single electoral district under a full proportional representation system and without so-called preferential votes.

The current law, which allowed the FPM and the LF to boost their representation in parliament, is based on proportional representation, 15 electoral districts and two preferential votes per electoral ballot.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 10
Missing un520 25 November 2020, 16:40

There is nothing "modern" about Nabih Berri and certainly not about Hassan Nasrallah. Offering them the chance to change the electoral law is like letting the fox into the chicken farm.

Thumb gebran_sons 25 November 2020, 17:22

Since 2005 the Shia community in Lebanon has failed miserably to live up to its destiny, being the most democratic and civil Shia community in the world. First, it failed tragically by not supporting the Green Revolution in Iran where educated Iranians sought the same democracy and freedom Lebanese Shia enjoyed. Second by allowing North-Korean style Hizbollah Basij to hijack the community and imprisoned it in a foreign culture distorting Lebanese culture and values and isolating it from the civilized world. Third, by allowing the Shia duo and the useful idiots Aoun and Bassil to transform Lebanon from the intellectual lighthouse in the region to a pariah bankrupt state living in darkness and mass indoctrination. Shia are primarily responsible for taking Lebanon to the abyss. The duo have been playing the demographic card for years… but will only end up with a federal system as we refuse the basij culture, cherish freedom, live free or die. We’ll take Hizb arms by force if needed.

Missing rabiosa 25 November 2020, 17:38

Absolutely spot on. I say so as an independent Lebanese who happens to be shiite.

This Lebanon as a single district is a farce. The only true and permanent law that should be adopted is the one man one vote. Ask The Kingdom of Jordan. It transformed their politics when they adopted that. It will force anyone running for office to present their vision and platform to their constituent rather than a list that no one know who's on it and they get elected based on absolutely nothing.

Missing kazan 25 November 2020, 18:12

I understood that the Shia is a significant part of the Lebanese population, I also understood that not all Shia are pro Hizb. your style : Hizb = Shia; then further take arms by force...I start to wonder! I sincerely believe it is not the right approach. I often read comments from Naharnet readers ( and from Lebanese friends) " the problem of Lebanon is : in the 70th and 80th the Palestinians, the Syrians .then Hizb, then Iran, Saudi Arabia, Druze,Jumblat/Arslan; Sunni Salam/mikati/Hariri; Maronite , LF/FPM/ kataeb etc...to my opinion Lebanon problem is the Lebanese themselves they don't accept each other, and please stop talking how clever you are and how intellectual, start first by accepting each other, and accept that other have the right to ave different religion and different opinion

Thumb gebran_sons 25 November 2020, 18:48

The Cedar Revolution and the Green Revolution are the same, both based on a foundation of freedom, democracy and civility. Some of the giants in Lebanese politics who clearly believed in building and improving their community instead of destroying others was Imam Mousa Sadr, one of my heros. What is happening today is the opposite. Hizballah is the blackhole of progress and democracy (who along with Assad murdered Hariri, Tueni and the rest). Lebanon has never been weaker, miserable and more humiliated. Hizb prefers Shia surviving on subsidy for easy indoctrination instead of building the future silicon valleys by attracting major multinationals. They gladly destroyed our institutions, schools and banking as in Iran war against the educated. Pitty a nation and a community whose ideal is the Basij.

Thumb chrisrushlau 25 November 2020, 19:20

Two months or so ago, Aoun and Macron agreed that Lebanon should abandon sectarianism, a reference to the Article 24 set-aside of half of Chamber of Deputies seats to Christians.

Thumb gebran_sons 25 November 2020, 21:17

Yes, Kelon yaani kelon. Though corruption has been with us for generations and when democracy returns all this mafia can be pout in jail as banking records and transactions can be retrieved even decades later. Important now not to mix the issues and use divert from real issue. Hizb policies are 90% responsible for the economic collapse and misery, starting by causing the exodus of all multinational firms with their good paying jobs, followed by making Lebanon synonymous with radicalism, money laundering and Basij mentality. Their policies made investment impossible as isolated us from the world digital economy. The cost of EDL losses & interest plus exorbitant debt service alone are more than $100 billion. Negative growth since 2006 cost is another $100 billion. Lebanon is under occupation by the basij and no hope without fighting for real independence.

Missing hammerhead1 26 November 2020, 00:45

Chrisrushlau: you have been barking up the same tree for the last 10 years. More seats for the Shia will mean more woes and misery for all especially the Shia. Your lot are in complete control now and we are heading for complete collapse of state ind institutions . You want more seats in government and at the same time seeking an Islamic state, or better still, do you guys really know what you want?

Default-user-icon cocoman (Guest) 26 November 2020, 06:19

This is what they care about... Electoral laws... Meanwhile the country is destroyed and burning...

Default-user-icon cocain man (Guest) 26 November 2020, 20:04

giving the the ability to change more farms is like begging a bully to go easy. I.E Its a bad ideal all together