Suleiman Urges MPs to Shy Away from Electoral Law that Increases Sectarian Divide
President Michel Suleiman hoped on Monday that lawmakers would work for the nation's interest in their attempt to agree on a modern electoral law that should avoid worsening the sectarian divide.
In a statement issued by the presidential palace, Suleiman hoped that the joint parliamentary committees, which convened for four days on Monday, would “take into consideration the national interest and work for holding the elections on time out of their respect for the basic principle of rotation of power.”
He also urged lawmakers to “preserve national unity and coexistence, and to keep their distance from all plans that consolidate sectarianism because they are unconstitutional and harm civil peace.”
“This has been no longer acceptable by the absolute majority of the Lebanese who are calling for justice, freedom and equality, and are holding onto democracy,” Suleiman said.
The joint parliamentary committees convened on Monday in an attempt to agree on a draft-law in four days of intense consultations.
The so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal, which calls for a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system, is on the agenda of the meetings.
Suleiman on several occasions announced his rejection of the proposal, calling instead for the adoption of a draft-law approved by the cabinet last year and referred to parliament.
The draft-law calls for 13 medium-sized districts under a proportional representation system.
Suleiman urged the rival MPs to study a “modern law” that guarantees the best representation for everyone and “is not subject to narrow electoral interests ... that come at the expense of the nation's interest.”
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