Adwan criticizes Salam, Berri over expat draft law procrastination

Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan criticized Tuesday Prime Minister Nawaf Salam for taking ten days to sign an urgent draft law -- that allows a large Lebanese diaspora to vote for the 128 seats in the upcoming parliamentary elections -- and ten other days to send it to parliament.

Earlier this month, cabinet approved to send the draft law demanding the amendment to Parliament, after Speaker Nabih Berri refused to discuss it in a legislative session, prompting the LF and Kataeb MPs to boycott it.

In an interview published Tuesday in al-Joumhouria, Berri said "the elections will be held according to the current law."

The current electoral law only allows expats to vote for six newly-introduced seats in parliament. Sixty-five MPs, including those of the LF and constituting a parliamentary majority, demanded to amend the law in order to allow expats to vote for all 128 seats. Berri refused to discuss the draft law in parliament.

Hezbollah and Amal argue that they do not enjoy the same campaigning freedom that other parties enjoy abroad and are objecting against the possible amendment.

Berri told al-Joumhouria that the electoral law is a constitution law and cannot be "urgently" amended. It needs a long debate and should be submitted to a parliamentary committee or joint committees, he said.

Adwan demanded Berri to discuss the law in a plenary session, and said Berri is now responsible of any delay or obstruction of the elections, due in May 2026.

LF leader Samir Geagea said last week that Berri is scared of democracy and that's why he is refusing to discuss the law in parliament. "I am very scared..," Berri sarcastically responded.