Ya Libnan

Bkirki Rejects electoral draft law as approved by the cabinet

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The Maronite church rejects the new proportional representation draft law as approved by the cabinet earlier this month, Bkirki spokesman Walid Ghayyad revealed on Tuesday.

“Bkirki rejects the draft law that divided the country into 13 districts because all the Lebanese failed to agree on it,” Ghayyad told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Ghayyad pointed out that Bkirki aims at reaching an electoral law that fairly represents all the Lebanese.

“The Bkirki committee will continue to exert efforts to find the appropriate proposal which would be applicable” and approved by all parties, Ghayyad added.

The committee which is made up of the four major Christian parties – the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, the Phalange and Marada movement – was formed under Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to draft a law that guarantees the best representation for Christians, has failed to agree on an appropriate proposal.

Lebanon’s Cabinet approved earlier in August 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. The ministers that represent Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s bloc voted against it.

While Hezbollah and its March 8 allies welcomed the the new electoral draft law Former Lebanese PM and current Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri rejected it and said it will not pass in parliament.

March 14 MP Ammar Houry told Voice of Lebanon as soon as the draft law was approved : “The draft electoral law as approved by the cabinet is the law of sedition…. a preparation for a civil war…it is the draft law of Jalili and its representative “Hezbollah”.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said during a press conference in early August that the new electoral law favors March 8 alliance and called for smaller electoral districts to ensure proper representation during the 2013 parliamentary election.

Phalange Party’s Central Committee Coordinator MP Sami Gemayel, told MTV early August that he rejects the draft electoral law adopted by the cabinet, stressing that it was tailored to serve the electoral interests of the ruling Hezbollah led March 8 coalition and predicting that “it will be defeated in parliament.”

Observers say that there is no way the new law will pass because March 14 will be the new majority in parliament .

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Comments

11 responses to “Bkirki Rejects electoral draft law as approved by the cabinet”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Ah …. men.
    Keep up the ‘dialogue’, boys. Better to keep trying than have some Syrian tragedy erupt … errr … like in Tripoli.

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      It is bound to happen no matter what… The new “green” line is defined pretty much. It remains to be seen in the Christian fiefdom which party will dominate. If the Hizzys or the army don’t interfere, my money is on the Lebanese Forces. Aounist, although having the numbers, are more refined and not the fighting type, so I hear.

      1. dateam Avatar
        dateam

        wont this new law actually give more seats to the kataeb and LF? i understand why hariri and jumblatt dont like it…they will be the biggest losers out of???

        1. Hannibal Avatar
          Hannibal

          Hi dateam,
          I am not discussing the electoral law. It happens that I second it although I do not like the new proposed districts layout. As an example: NO MATTER who the Christians of the North choose to vote for the winning candidate will always be LF (as long as the LFs are aligned with the future movement). With the proposed electoral law, the right (majority elected) Christian candidate will win and piggybacking on the list of future won’t help. I am certain the Aounist would carry Akkar despite Akkar being a majority Sunni. However, this is true for the South where the LF candidates will win despite a majority HA dominance in the lists. Because it is a black box and a lot of uncertainty on who would carry the day after the election the “14th” people are worried. In the meantime damn the democracy, let us just work with a formula that pushes our agenda so they say. Both sides are in a tug of war and the Lebanese commoner suffers. In my opinion, neither Hariri nor Jumblatt would lose much. The majority of Sunnis will vote Hariri JUST FOR spiting Hezbollah and not out of conviction. One should just stroll in Tripoli to see how impoverished the city is. Why would one vote for the Future movement when the only aid that comes in is for weapons and NEVER for the wellbeing of the populace. The answer is simple. A hatred for Shiite dominance via an armed party. At the end, as long as we vote with our religious clan and not with our Lebanese mind we all lose.

    2. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      It is bound to happen no matter what… The new “green” line is defined pretty much. It remains to be seen in the Christian fiefdom which party will dominate. If the Hizzys or the army don’t interfere, my money is on the Lebanese Forces. Aounist, although having the numbers, are more refined and not the fighting type, so I hear.

      1. dateam Avatar
        dateam

        wont this new law actually give more seats to the kataeb and LF? i understand why hariri and jumblatt dont like it…they will be the biggest losers out of???

        1. Hannibal Avatar
          Hannibal

          Hi dateam,
          I am not discussing the electoral law. It happens that I second it although I do not like the new proposed districts layout. As an example: NO MATTER who the Christians of the North choose to vote for the winning candidate will always be LF (as long as the LFs are aligned with the future movement). With the proposed electoral law, the right (majority elected) Christian candidate will win and piggybacking on the list of future won’t help. I am certain the Aounist would carry Akkar despite Akkar being a majority Sunni. However, this is true for the South where the LF candidates will win despite a majority HA dominance in the lists. Because it is a black box and a lot of uncertainty on who would carry the day after the election the “14th” people are worried. In the meantime damn the democracy, let us just work with a formula that pushes our agenda so they say. Both sides are in a tug of war and the Lebanese commoner suffers. In my opinion, neither Hariri nor Jumblatt would lose much. The majority of Sunnis will vote Hariri JUST FOR spiting Hezbollah and not out of conviction. One should just stroll in Tripoli to see how impoverished the city is. Why would one vote for the Future movement when the only aid that comes in is for weapons and NEVER for the wellbeing of the populace. The answer is simple. A hatred for Shiite dominance via an armed party. At the end, as long as we vote with our religious clan and not with our Lebanese mind we all lose.

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Ah …. men.
    Keep up the ‘dialogue’, boys. Better to keep trying than have some Syrian tragedy erupt … errr … like in Tripoli.

    1. Hannibal Avatar
      Hannibal

      It is bound to happen no matter what… The new “green” line is defined pretty much. It remains to be seen in the Christian fiefdom which party will dominate. If the Hizzys or the army don’t interfere, my money is on the Lebanese Forces. Aounist, although having the numbers, are more refined and not the fighting type, so I hear.

      1. dateam Avatar
        dateam

        wont this new law actually give more seats to the kataeb and LF? i understand why hariri and jumblatt dont like it…they will be the biggest losers out of???

        1. Hannibal Avatar
          Hannibal

          Hi dateam,
          I am not discussing the electoral law. It happens that I second it although I do not like the new proposed districts layout. As an example: NO MATTER who the Christians of the North choose to vote for the winning candidate will always be LF (as long as the LFs are aligned with the future movement). With the proposed electoral law, the right (majority elected) Christian candidate will win and piggybacking on the list of future won’t help. I am certain the Aounist would carry Akkar despite Akkar being a majority Sunni. However, this is true for the South where the LF candidates will win despite a majority HA dominance in the lists. Because it is a black box and a lot of uncertainty on who would carry the day after the election the “14th” people are worried. In the meantime damn the democracy, let us just work with a formula that pushes our agenda so they say. Both sides are in a tug of war and the Lebanese commoner suffers. In my opinion, neither Hariri nor Jumblatt would lose much. The majority of Sunnis will vote Hariri JUST FOR spiting Hezbollah and not out of conviction. One should just stroll in Tripoli to see how impoverished the city is. Why would one vote for the Future movement when the only aid that comes in is for weapons and NEVER for the wellbeing of the populace. The answer is simple. A hatred for Shiite dominance via an armed party. At the end, as long as we vote with our religious clan and not with our Lebanese mind we all lose.

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