Report: Berri Rebuffs 'Reduction' in Parliamentary Seats for Expats
As political parties wrangle to finalize some details related to the electoral law mainly a suggestion to allocate six parliamentary seats out of 128 for the expats' representation, Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that the suggestion is “not applicable,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.
The issue related to the representation of expats in the parliament, proposed by Foreign Minister and Free Patriotic Movement Jebran Bassil, is the main hurdle obstructing an agreement on a parliamentary vote law, the daily said.
Berri said: “Reducing the number of parliament seats is not possible at all,” he was quoted as telling his visitors on Sunday. But, he assured that he does not reject the principle, saying “I was the first to create a ministry for the expats. I do not reject the idea in principle, but in order to apply it some conditions must first be fulfilled.
Bassil had suggested that six parliament seats, out of the current 128, are to be reserved for the representation of Lebanese diaspora.
Referring to Wednesday's “crucial” cabinet session to look into the suggested electoral law, the Speaker said: “Wednesday is supposed to be a decisive day. I have had consultations with PM Saad Hariri stressing the necessity to complete the law.”
Berri said he would assign a legislative session on Friday if the cabinet referred the draft law to him on Wednesday, he said: “If the law is forwarded to me on the same day, then we will print and distribute it to the deputies on the same day, and then confirm the legislative session on Friday.”
The draft law is fully based on the proportional representation electoral system and the parties have agreed that the polls will be held in 15 electoral districts. They are still however wrangling over the mechanism of counting votes going for so-called preferred candidates on the electoral ballots and whether it should depend on the electoral districts or the administrative districts.
The Free Patriotic Movement has argued that confining the preferred vote to the smaller administrative districts would allow Christians to elect more MPs with their own votes.
The parliament's term ends on June 20.
Source: Naharnet
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