Geagea: Orthodox Gathering Law Never Had Chance to Succeed
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated on Wednesday that the party had from the beginning of discussions over a parliamentary electoral law sought an agreement over one that garners the support of all sides, stressing that it never pledged to adopt the Orthodox Gathering law.
He said during a press conference: “The Orthodox proposal never had the chance to succeed.”
He explained that the law was never going to be adopted because President Michel Suleiman and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati opposed it.
The Lebanese Forces therefore decided to search for an alternative proposal, which was reached with the Mustaqbal bloc and National Struggle Front on Tuesday, he said.
On parliament's failure to convene to vote on the Orthodox Gathering law, he said: “We have not returned to square one, but the hybrid law is available.”
The new proposal should be placed on parliament's agenda for Friday, he added.
Addressing MP Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement's accusations that the LF had broken its pledge over the Orthodox Gathering law, Geagea said: “We never made a pledge in the first place.”
He therefore urged the movement to halt its accusatory tone and heated rhetoric over this issue.
Moreover, he noted: “Why is it that parliament did not convene since the adoption of the Orthodox Gathering law on February 19? It is because some sides that claim to support it actually don't.”
He also praised the role of Bkirki in following up on discussions to agree on a new law, while hailing those of former Premier Saad Hariri, whom Geagea deemed as one of his closest allies.
“I hope that Aoun would read the new hybrid law proposal and I think he will reach a different conclusion about it than the one he already made,” he explained.
The March 14 alliance, excluding the Phalange Party, and the National Struggle Front of MP Walid Jumblat announced on Wednesday an agreement on a hybrid electoral law
The plan calls for 54 MPs to be elected under the winner-takes-all system and 46 percent via the proportional representation system.
The country would be divided into six governorates under proportionality and 27 districts under the winner-takes-all system.
The Orthodox draft-law, which considers Lebanon a single electoral district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system, is strongly backed by Hizbullah and the FPM.
Source: Naharnet
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