Miqati Urges Lebanese Immigrants to Participate in Next Parliamentary Elections

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Prime Minister Najib Miqati called on Lebanese immigrants on Saturday to register their names with related embassies to be able to participate in the 2013 parliamentary elections, assuring that the diplomatic appointments will take shape soon.

Miqati addressed the Lebanese community during a dinner banquet in DR Congo, he said: “register your names with the Lebanese embassies and missions to participate in the parliamentary elections next year,” he said on Friday evening.

Miqati also announced that the diplomatic appointments will be issued soon, "which enhances the Lebanese diplomatic activity after a period of stagnation and recession."

He urged all immigrants to participate in the voting process and register their names until the parliament approves the new electoral draft law.

The Council of Ministers approved in April a polling mechanism for the expatriates in the 2013 parliamentary elections, and approved in August to add 6 deputies to represent the expatriate which totals the number of MPs to 134.

The government also approved in August a parliamentary electoral law based on proportional representation and 13 electoral districts, that was criticized by March 14 alliance and Head of the National Struggle Front Deputy Walid Jumblatt.

Miqati left Friday for DR Congo to participate in the three day summit of French-speaking nations. Leaders from 75-nation Francophonie will participate in the summit and Miqati is expected to deliver a speech Saturday afternoon.

Comments 4
Missing phillipo 13 October 2012, 17:56

Surely he means Emigrants, not Immigrants.
Immigrants are inside Lebanon anyway, and if they have received Lebanese nationality then they have no problem with voting.

Default-user-icon Emil (Guest) 13 October 2012, 18:54

Mr Prime Minister: Are you aware of the difficulties we are having in order to register at the embassy? Here in Washington, D.C. the embassy asks for a valid passport that is recently renewed or a new ID card. My Ekhraj gaed by itself is not acceptable. Who has these documents to be valid if you were away from Lebanon for few years? I am in Lebanon twice a year, I applied for my ID for myself and my family three times and each time they say our finger prints were not accepted.
We want to our voice heard. We love Lebanon just as much if not a lot more. Make reasonable requirements for our registration. You will find more citizens than are living in Lebanon registering and voting.

Thumb Marc 13 October 2012, 20:14

Miqati: who are you talking to? Your government should put things in place to make it happen

Missing ulpianus 14 October 2012, 00:06

How? You still did not decide on the system that will be used for the next elections...