Bassil Accuses LF, Phalange of Turning against Bkirki Committee to Satisfy Hariri, Jumblat
Energy Minister Jebran Bassil accused the Phalange party and the Lebanese Forces on Tuesday of reneging on the decisions reached in Bkirki on an electoral draft-law to satisfy al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat.
In an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper, Bassil said a draft-law approved by the government “guarantees the right representation and does not eliminate any Christian.”
“Why this rejection then?” Bassil wondered after the LF and Phalange criticized the draft-law for allegedly not being in conformity with the decisions reached by the Bkirki committee.
The committee that is made up of the four major Christian parties – the Free Patriotic Movement, the LF, the Phalange and Marada movement - was formed under Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to draft a law that guarantees the best representation for Christians.
The government’s draft-law that is based on proportional representation and 13 electoral districts was also criticized by al-Mustaqbal and the PSP.
Bassil said the draft is close to the decisions reached in Bkirki which include an electoral law based on proportionality and medium to small size districts.
“Why would the Phalange and the LF back off from the decisions reached by the Bkirki committee in favor of Jumblat and Saad Hariri?” Bassil, who is an FPM official, wondered.
“We knew that (LF chief) Samir Geagea would turn against us in the Bkirki committee,” he said.
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