Jumblat’s Sources Warn against Proportionality as his Rivals Slam ‘Majority Maker’

Sources close to Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat reiterated the rejection of proportionality in the parliamentary elections as his Druze rivals advocated a new draft-law that would end the MP’s ability to create a new parliamentary majority.

The sources told As Safir newspaper published Thursday that the current draft-law proposed by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on proportionality is rejected because they claim it does not intend to introduce reform.

Jumblat has repeatedly called for a comprehensive reform that should include allowing Lebanese expatriates to vote, abolish political confessionalism, establish a senate and make administrative divisions.

The sources said that no one could limit Jumblat’s political and popular size, accusing the advocates of proportionality of seeking to improve their chances to win the elections.

As Safir quoted the PSP chief’s Druze rivals as saying, however, that Jumblat has been acting since the 2009 elections as the “maker of majorities” in Lebanon and has given himself the right to decide which party would rule Lebanon.

They said Jumblat has previously made his own choices in either pushing the Hizbullah-led March 8 forces or the March 14 coalition - which is now the opposition - to power.

The rivals warned that the government would be taking a “major risk” in adopting the 1960 electoral law as it did in the past elections, saying that move would hand over Jumblat again the decision to “make the new majority.”

The failure to adopt a new law for the 2013 polls would also pave way for the PSP chief to manage the country’s political life and have the upper hand in deciding the country’s fate, they said.