Mouawad Says 'Ferzli Law' Encourages Sectarian Conflicts, Threatens Lebanese Identity
Independence Movement leader Michel Mouawad announced on Wednesday his rejection of the Orthodox Gathering's proposed electoral law, saluting President Michel Suleiman's critique of this “unconstitutional” suggestion.
“(Former Deputy Speaker) Elie Ferzli's law encourages sectarian conflicts in the country,” Mouawad said after meeting with Suleiman in Baabda, adding that adopting it will have severe consequences on the “Lebanese identity and on free Christian presence in the country”.
"Supporting the legal authority and sovereignty are requirements for safeguarding the Christian presence,” he stated.
On Sunday, the Christian four-party committee on the electoral law agreed to endorse the electoral system proposed by the so-called Orthodox Gathering, under which each sect would elect its own lawmakers.
The Independence leader expressed his support for the small electoral districts' draft law proposed by the March 14 opposition forces, explaining that it secures fair Christian representation without producing negative outcomes on the long-run or encouraging extremism.
March 14 Christians had reached an agreement with al-Mustaqbal on a plan to divide Lebanon into 50 small-sized districts based on a winner-takes-all system and referred it to parliament.
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