Hizbullah Bloc Insists on Proportional Representation, Says Electoral Law Must Conform to Constitution
Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc on Thursday reiterated its insistence on an electoral law fully based on proportional representation while stressing that the electoral law should conform to the constitution's stipulations.
“The bloc underlines its adherence to an electoral law fully based on proportional representation and a single or several expanded electorates, and sees it as the formula that is the most compatible with the standards that achieve correct, comprehensive and effective representation for the Lebanese people,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.
“Endorsing it would represent a landmark shift towards building a strong state and renewing the political life,” Loyalty to Resistance noted.
And pointing out that there is “mutual frankness” between the political parties regarding the electoral law, the bloc emphasized that any proposal should “conform to the constitutional standards and to the content of the (1989) Document of National Accord (Taef Accord), especially regarding equal power-sharing between Christians and Muslims, coexistence and correct representation.”
Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but al-Mustaqbal Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party have both rejected the proposal.
Mustaqbal argues that Hizbullah's arms would prevent serious competition in the party's strongholds while the PSP has warned that such an electoral system would “marginalize” the minority Druze community whose presence is concentrated in the Chouf and Aley areas.
The political parties are meanwhile discussing a so-called hybrid electoral law that mixes proportional representation with the winner-takes-all system.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/226326 |