By Jaber Ali on February 2, 2017.
During a meeting with a delegation of
the Lebanese Communist Party, President Michel Aoun has added his voice
to the tense debate over the reform of the electoral law ahead of the
parliamentary elections by stating that “verbal bickering does not lead
to an outcome.” He called for the continuation of “our
struggle until we attain truthful popular representation and rule clear
of personal interests in a bid to build the state and create a powerful
system.”
The Lebanese are divided over the system
to adopt in electing members of the parliament with many seeming to
back the adoption of a proportionality approach in order to have a
balance between majority and minority. Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in a cabinet
meeting on Wednesday, recalled that “when the government pledged in its
ministerial statement to grant priority to stage the elections, it did
not separate between this end and the efforts to find a new election
law.” He acknowledged that there are opposing views but that does “not
necessarily mean that we have reached a dead end.” Hariri called for
efforts to continue in order to have a law acceptable by each party and
sect.
MP Farid Khazen from the Change and Reform bloc claimed that some
political parties are blocking the reform by refusing all the proposals
made. He lamented that “it is impossible to reach an election law that
satisfies everybody.”
State Minister for Parliament Affairs
Ali Qansou opined that having “Lebanon as one electoral district on the
basis of proportionality” could help to end the debate as the cabinet
prepares to tackle the issue during its meeting scheduled for next week.
The Progressive Socialist Party has
meanwhile raised the alarm over the representation of the minority Druze
community, warning that any electoral law containing the proportional
representation system would “marginalize” Druze in the political system.
MP Farid Khazen from the Change and Reform bloc claimed that some
political parties are blocking the reform by refusing all the proposals
made. He lamented that “it is impossible to reach an election law that
satisfies everybody.”
Women right groups are demanding that 30% of the parliament seats be reserved for women as their quota.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, during a meeting with Maronite bishops, stated that efforts to “adopt one standard” are ongoing.
By Ya Libnan
Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh , received a Democratic Gathering
bloc
delegation on Thursday where talks focused on an electoral law for the
upcoming parliamentary polls. Following the meeting he criticized the
hybrid electoral law that has been discussed and accused the parties
behind it of trying to eliminate the PSP.
Franjieh also lashed out at President Michel Aoun without naming him, he said: “A political party came into power under the banner of empowering itself at the expense of others.”
He said he supports electoral laws that provide just representation for all political parties without excluding any.
“We simply support any just law, not complicated laws
similar to the one suggested recently,” Franjieh told reporters,
referring to the hybrid law proposed lately by the main political
parties.
“Coordination between Marada and the PSP has been
ongoing for over a year now. Today we support them because they are
facing a war of elimination under the banner of ‘Christians rights’.”
The MP pointed out that he does not reject the 1960 law
but “supports laws that serve justice for all. I don’t back complicated
laws,” he said.
For his part, former minister Akram Shehayyeb said: “We are open to all suggestions outside the framework of settlements.
“What we have seen lately is very dangerous,” he said.
The main political parties are discussing several
formats of the so-called hybrid law but the Progressive Socialist Party
has raised the alarm over the representation of the minority Druze
community, warning that any law containing proportional representation
would “marginalize” Druze
By http://english.aawsat.com
Beirut– Lebanese women rallied on Wednesday to call for an increased
female representation in any parliamentary electoral law approved by the
different political parties.
While women constitute 51 percent of the Lebanese population and 54
percent of university graduates, they are merely represented in
Parliament, as they currently occupy 3.1 percent of parliamentary seats.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri have
stressed on several occasions their commitment to allocate a certain
quota to women to support their active participation in political life.
On Wednesday, dozens of women and activists gathered in downtown
Beirut to voice their demands for a women’s quota. State Minister for
Women’s Affairs Jean Oghassabian joined the march to express his
solidarity with the demonstrators.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Free Patriotic Movement MP
Alain Aoun said that the parliamentary administrative and justice
committee was currently studying “women’s quota”, in addition to other
necessary reforms that should be implemented in the new electoral law.
Aoun added that while the majority of parliamentary blocs support the
introduction of a women’s quota in the new law, some other blocs have
expressed reservations on the matter.
“Reservations are not on women’s participation but rather on the quota,” the FPM deputy said.
For his part, Oghassabian expressed full support for women’s demands.
“It’s a righteous cause; we will work on it until we reach the aspired
goals.”
“We believe that women have strong capabilities; we need such energy inside Parliament and the government,” he said.
The minister hoped that Wednesday’s rally would spread across
different Lebanese areas to guarantee a women’s quota in the upcoming
parliamentary elections.
Oghassabian also expressed the prime minister’s support to this endeavor.
“Prime Minister Hariri joins you in these demands and believes in your cause,” the minister said, addressing the demonstrators.
