Berri, Miqati Discuss Vote Law on Eve of Joint Committees Meeting
Speaker Nabih Berri discussed with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Sunday the controversial electoral draft-law a day before the joint parliamentary committees are set to meet to agree on a new law.
“We discussed the electoral law proposals,” Miqati said after visiting Berri in Ain el-Tineh.
The committees are set to discuss starting Monday several proposals on the hybrid draft-law that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems.
The members of the joint committees will also discuss other draft-laws, including the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal that calls for dividing Lebanon into 13 districts based on proportionality.
Their meeting comes after the failure of a parliamentary subcommittee to agree on the hybrid draft-law over differences on the number and sizes of districts and the percentage of MPs who will be elected under the two systems.
Asked about the recent controversy that erupted after a criticism by Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun over lack of international support for protesters in Bahrain, Miqati reiterated that the politician was expressing his personal point of view.
Aoun's criticism of the international community and the Arab League for its lack of support to anti-regime protesters led Bahrain to summon Ibrahim Assaf, the Lebanese charge d'affaires.
But Miqati told reporters on Sunday that “even Aoun stressed that this was his personal opinion and not that of the government.”
He reiterated that Lebanon holds onto the policy of distancing itself from the regional crises.
“We have excellent ties will all the Gulf countries,” he said.
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