Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi criticized on Sunday Lebanese politicians for failing to agree on fateful issues such as a new electoral draft-law ahead of the polls next year. “It’s a shame … that political parties have suspended (attempts to find) solutions to fundamental national causes such as a new electoral draft-law other than the 1960 law, the formation of a new cabinet and holding elections on time,” al-Rahi said in his sermon.

 

The parliament has yet to agree on a draft-electoral law. Deep divisions between the March 8 parliamentary majority and the March 14 opposition alliance have prevented both camps to draft a law or amend a bill approved by the government in August which divides Lebanon into 13 districts and is based on proportionality. Al-Rahi has totally rejected the 1960 law, which adopts the qada as an electoral district and is based on a winner-takes-all system. It was used in the 2009 parliamentary elections after a partial amendment. [Link]