Berri Launches Round of ‘Proportionality’ Consultations to Salvage 2013 Polls
Speaker Nabih Berri has moved to the stage of inquiring Lebanese politicians about their stances from his electoral proposal based on proportional representation that considers Lebanon a single district.
The first stop was President Michel Suleiman when Berri dispatched Ministers Ali Hassan Khalil and Mohammed Fneish to Baabda palace on Tuesday.
“We began with President Michel Suleiman to continue the round of consultations with the other parties,” Berri told An Nahar and As Safir dailies published Wednesday.
An Nahar also quoted the speaker as saying that the atmosphere in the country is not reassuring “and the elections next year could be affected if the situation remains the same.”
“Everyone should cooperate with a nationalistic spirit to preserve the country’s interest,” he reportedly told his visitors.
According to As Safir, Suleiman informed both Khalil and Fneish that he holds onto proportional representation in the 2013 polls.
Proportionality in a large district comes in harmony with the Taef accord and the constitution while small electoral districts contradict with them, he reportedly told the cabinet ministers.
Khalil also held talks with Premier Najib Miqati on Tuesday and is expected along with the Hizbullah leader’s political aide, Hussein Khalil, to meet with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Wednesday.
Jumblat returned to Beirut from a private visit to Saudi Arabia where he held talks with Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in the presence of MP Nehmeh Tohmeh and his son Tymor.
Jumblat has rejected a draft-law based on proportional representation, preferring the 1960 law of a winner-take-all system with small districts.
Ex-Premier Saad Hariri, who is the leader of the opposition al-Mustaqbal movement, has also voiced rejection of proportionality as long as Hizbullah continues to be armed.
However, Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement have announced their support for proportional representation in a large district.
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