Berri: Proportional vote law would modernize Lebanese state
Written by Malek

by dailystar.com.lb

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri urged politicians Wednesday to quickly draft a new electoral law, saying proportional representation would best help Lebanon transition into a modern state, state media reported.

“A proportional law is the most appropriate and essential system to help Lebanon transition into the stage of building a modern state that upholds just national representation and meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people, “ Berri said after his weekly meeting with lawmakers, the National News Agency reported. The also speaker warned against further delays in drafting a new vote law.

The new Lebanese Cabinet is expected to draft a law to govern upcoming parliamentary elections, which are due to be held in May 2017. Lebanese parties are divided between adopting an electoral law that would allocate seats on a proportional basis or a hybrid electoral law.

A hybrid law would blend elements of the proportional system and the current rules, in which the winners take all seats in each electoral district.

The Future Movement, Lebanese Forces and Progressive Socialist party support a hybrid vote law, while Hezbollah officials have been lobbying for the adoption of a proportional system.

Parliamentary elections were due to take place in 2013, but legislators renewed their terms twice – in 2013 and 2014 – citing security concerns.

Separately, Berri hailed the efforts of the Lebanese Army and other security forces to “promote stability, protect national security and reassure the Lebanese people.”

He said the empowerment of local security forces was “the most important national investment."