LF to Take Part in Joint Committees Meetings: We're Seeking Alternative to Orthodox Proposal
The Lebanese Forces party on Sunday announced that it will participate in Wednesday's meetings of the joint parliamentary committees despite its boycott of government's work, revealing that an alternative to the Orthodox Gathering's electoral law is gaining “momentum” behind the scenes in parliament.
“Although the LF is boycotting government, it is facilitating everything related to the parliamentary elections,” LF bloc MP George Adwan said in an interview with MTV.
“We're exerting efforts to ensure the participation of everyone,” Adwan added.
He revealed that the LF contacted Sunday Speaker Nabih Berri, ex-PM Fouad Saniora and its allies.
Asked whether Berri was trying to “lure” March 14 into parliament and into breaching its boycott of government, Adwan said: “Speaker Berri does not have such intentions.”
“There is a law that enjoys the support of the parliamentary majority if it was sent to parliament's general assembly and the proposal that mixes (the proportional representation and winner-takes-all systems) has broken the stalemate,” Adwan added.
Commenting on the Progressive Socialist Party's call for creating a senate, the LF official said “the priority now is for the electoral law and all these issues can be discussed by a new parliament that guarantees proper representation.”
Berri has called a Wednesday meeting for the joint parliamentary committees aimed at discussing the electoral law and hearing the report of the electoral subcommittee.
The subcommittee wrapped up its mission last week without managing to reach consensus on an electoral law, but the proposal of the Orthodox Gathering has received the approval of six major parliamentary blocs amid the objections of Mustaqbal and the National Struggle Front.
The March 14 camp decided to boycott all meetings attended by government in the wake of the October assassination of Intelligence Bureau chief Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan.
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