Consensus between rival parties on a hybrid electoral draft-law was on Wednesday not looming on the horizon after reports said that Hizbullah rejected it and talks between March 14 opposition officials and the Progressive Socialist Party slowed.

Hizbullah informed Speaker Nabih Berri that it rejected the hybrid proposal, which a team of experts and MPs from the opposition al-Mustaqbal movement and the centrist Progressive Socialist Party are seeking to draft, al-Liwaa daily reported.

A meeting of March 14 independent figures held a meeting on Friday to discuss a new parliamentary electoral law in light of Interior Minister Marwan Charbel's opening of the door for nominees to submit their candidacies, reported the daily An Nahar Saturday.

MP Butros Harb told the daily that the talks focused on a law that “offers fair representation for Christians, while maintaining national unity.”

Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan asked for the death penalty against a Hizbullah member in the attempted assassination of Batroun MP Butros Harb.

Sawan's request against Mahmoud al-Hayek, who hasn't surrendered to police, came in an indictment he issued Thursday.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr asked on Wednesday for a sentence of life in prison with hard labor for a Hizbullah member in the attempted assassination of Batroun MP Butros Harb.

Saqr referred the request against Mahmoud al-Hayek to Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan to issue the indictment.

An optimism by al-Mustaqbal movement on consensus among the opposition factions and the centrist Progressive Socialist Party on an electoral draft-law was played down on Wednesday by both PSP chief Walid Jumblat and March 14 opposition MP Butros Harb.

“There is nothing final yet on the electoral draft-law,” Jumblat told An Nahar newspaper.

A delegation of March 14 independent Christian lawmakers and officials discussed with Speaker Nabih Berri on Monday a proposal to divide Lebanon into a single district based on a hybrid system, said MP Butros Harb.

The delegation led by Harb visited Berri in Ain el-Tineh to discuss with him some new ideas following the controversial adoption of the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal by the joint parliamentary committees last week.

Independent Christian March 14 lawmakers and officials lamented on Thursday the adoption of the Orthodox Gathering parliamentary electoral law, saying that it harms Lebanon's diversity.

The gatherers said after a meeting at MP Butros Harb's residence: “This law paves the way for the formation of sectarian statelets and the division of Lebanon in a manner that contradicts the country's diversity.”

The members of the March 14 opposition alliance, who have severely criticized the so-called Orthodox Gathering draft-law, warned again on Wednesday that the country would be shattered if parliament gives it the green light.

In remarks to al-Liwaa daily, March 14 independent Christian MP Butros Harb said he sought to convince Speaker Nabih Berri during a meeting of the joint parliamentary committees to postpone the approval of the proposal's 2nd article.

March 14 MP Butros Harb denied overnight reports that two men detained for the possession of hashish, were his bodyguards, pointing out that he is holding on to his right to prosecute any person who “impersonates" him.

“MP Harb denies that any of his staff members or bodyguards use drugs. The MP was surprised with the news,” a statement issued by his press office on Tuesday night said.

Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan issued on Tuesday an in absentia arrest warrant for a Hizbullah member charged with the attempted murder of Batroun MP Butros Harb.

The state-run National News Agency said the judge is questioning witnesses in the case.