Berri likely to postpone upcoming parliament session

Lebanon Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will likely postpone a scheduled May 15 legislative session, unless an agreement is reached on a new electoral law before then, the Al Jumhuriyyah daily reported.

Politicians have been debating revising the archaic 1960 voting law since 2005 and have yet to reach consensus.

According to the 1960 voting law, parliament seats are allocated by religious sects which Lebanon’s most prominent Christian parties want to amend.

They say the law marginalises Christian voters, because, in the winner-take-all model Muslim voters in predominantly Christian districts cast their ballots to candidates backed by lists dominated by non-Christian parties.

Last month, President Michel Aoun made the unprecedented move to suspend parliament which was due to extend its term for third time since 2009.

The move was hailed by Christians but slammed by Shiite politicians including Berri, who also is the Amal party chief.

Powerful Shiite groups like the Iran-backed Hezbollah and Amal want proportional representation or the winner-takes-all system since that would give it potential control of parliament due to its large numbers.

Druze leader Walid Junblatt and Progressive Socialist Party chief is also against proportional representation because the Druze are a minority in Lebanon representing approximately less than 8 per cent of the entire population.

Junblatt prefers a behind the scenes “consensual agreement” rather than an open vote either at the cabinet or parliament levels.

Al Jumhuriyyah said Berri did not favour a third extension for parliament and wanted to hold parliamentary elections under the standing 1960 voting law.

The parliament’s second term ends on June 20 which means the country heads for a political standoff as politicians will be forced to choose between extending the term for a third time, holding elections under the old electoral law or agreeing on a new law, which is highly unlikely.

source: GULF NEWS