Al-Rahi before Traveling to Paris: Rival Parties Seeking to Strike Deal on Hybrid Law

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi revealed on Monday that all political parties were exerting efforts to strike a deal on a hybrid vote law after the four major Christian parties decided to suspend the Orthodox Gathering proposal.

“The hybrid electoral draft-law is everybody's demand,” said al-Rahi at Rafik Hariri International Airport before traveling to France.

“We want good representation and equality … The Lebanese should feel that their votes have a value and weren't imposed on them,” al-Rahi added.

The Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange party and the Marada movement representatives agreed during a meeting held under al-Rahi in Bkirki last week to suspend the Orthodox proposal. They also pledged not to run for elections under the 1960 law.

The hybrid vote law combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.

“We hope there would be a quick formation of a new cabinet and agreement on a vote law,” Al-Rahi reiterated in response to a question.

The patriarch hailed the Lebanese army and all armed forces, saying the rising number of Syrian refugees and the smuggling of arms are making the situation in the country difficult.

“I hope that anyone who enters Lebanon would respect its laws,” he said.

Al-Rahi held talks with President Michel Suleiman in Baabda palace before traveling to Europe and Latin America.

He headed to Paris on Monday for talks with top officials including President Francois Hollande.

He will later visit the Lebanese expatriates in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Al-Rahi will then travel to Rome and return to Lebanon end of May.