Mustaqbal: MPs Represent Entire Country, Adopting Small Electoral Districts Is a Must

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc pushed on Tuesday for the adoption of an electoral law based on small districts, as it “takes into consideration the fears of a great segment of the Lebanese society that is calling for a just representation”.

In a statement delivered by MP Kazem al-Kheir after the bloc's weekly meeting, al-Mustaqbal MPs described the draft law proposed by the government as one-dimensional, driven by a plan to serve Hizbullah's interests and maintain the party's domination over the legal authority in Lebanon.

The bloc explained that any electoral law must take Lebanon's unity into consideration, reemphasizing co-existence between all fragments of the society, as well as eliminating fears and doubts of those concerned about just representation.

"Article 27 of the Lebanese constitution defines deputies as representatives of the entire country, not of their sect or the district by which they were elected,” the statement explained.

The government had approved in August an electoral law based on proportional representation and 13 electoral districts. Meanwhile, March 14 coalition had submitted a draft law last week dividing Lebanon into 50 electoral districts.

The bloc also discussed the government's policies amongst other issues, saying that “it draws its plans based on electoral gains, irrespectively of the social and economical difficulties the Lebanese are suffering”.

"We are warning again about the cabinet's activities; ministers are ignoring people's situation, the state's budget and the country's entire economic well-being,” the statement added.