Berri 'Respects' All Electoral Proposals but Sticks to Adoption of Lebanon as Single District

Speaker Nabih Berri has announced respect for the viewpoint of all parties that have proposed electoral draft-laws but he remains adamant on the adoption of Lebanon as a single electoral district, his sources and An Nahar daily reported.

Berri met on Thursday with a ministerial delegation from the Progressive Socialist Party that said the speaker expressed “openness” to hear the suggestion of all sides on a law for the 2013 parliamentary elections.

“PSP chief Walid Jumblat tasked us to meet with Berri,” Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi told An Nahar.

He said the talks came as part of continued coordination with Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement against the backdrop of the last meeting held between Jumblat and ex-PM Saad Hariri.

“Minister Wael Abou Faour has also visited Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea because we call for dialogue and the (electoral) issue is sensitive,” Aridi said.

He reiterated that Jumblat rejects the government's draft-law on dividing Lebanon into 13 medium-sized districts based on proportionately and another proposal of winner-takes-all system of 50 small-sized districts made by March 14 opposition Christians.

According to An Nahar, Berri told the delegation that he “respects” the viewpoint of the PSP ministers in addition to the proposal of the opposition’s Christians.

Sources close to Berri said both sides agreed to the rejection of the latest draft-law but the speaker was waiting to hear the stances of all parties at the meeting of the joint parliamentary committees to make his final comment on the issue.

But the speaker holds onto making Lebanon a single electoral district, the sources said.

They added that Berri sent several messages to Jumblat in response to the March 14 draft-law, considering that each political party is pushing for a plan that would guarantee its victory in the parliamentary elections and consequently in the presidential vote.