Former Lebanese PM and current Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri rejected the electoral draft law approved earlier on Tuesday by the cabinet and said it will not pass in parliament, according to a statement by his press office.
“The least that can be said about this draft law is that it is directed against more than half of the Lebanese people. Let it be known from now that this draft law is rejected and will not pass in parliament ,” Hariri said.
“If the draft law passes in parliament, political and national Lebanese decisions will be totally handed over to the party currently [controlling] the cabinet’s decisions,” the former premier said in reference to the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah militant group which currently dominates the cabinet
He also said that he spoke with President Michel Suleiman over the phone on Tuesday and informed him of his decision to “totally” rejected the draft law.
“Suleiman knows very well that the cabinet represents less than half of the Lebanese people.” Hariri said
Earlier on Tuesday Lebanon’s Cabinet approved an electoral draft law that called for proportional representation and divided the country into 13 districts.
Lebanon was divided into the following electoral districts :
Beirut 2, south Lebanon 2, Bekaa 3, north Lebanon 3 , Mount Lebanon 3.
The new electoral law was approved by the majority of ministers. Only ministers who represent PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s bloc and State Minister Ali Qanso voted against it
Acting Information Minister Wael Abu Faour, said the ministers of Jumblatt’s bloc ultimately decided not to engage in a debate over the details concerning the districts.
“We must look at the nation as a whole,” Abu Faour told reporters, implying that the PSP put national interests above its own.
If Jumblatt’s bloc will vote will against the proposed electoral law , it will not pass in the parliament if all March 14 MPs vote against it according to political observers
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