Cabinet Session Expected to Witness Saber-Rattling on Electoral Authority

Divisions between cabinet members on several controversial issues are likely to exacerbate on Thursday over the formation of the authority that would supervise the elections, which is rejected by the Hizbullah-led majority.

A cabinet session that is set to be held at Baabda palace could either witness a last minute deal to form the authority or March 8 majority ministers could vote against it if President Michel Suleiman insisted on putting it up to vote.

But any such scenario could force Suleiman to suspend his participation in cabinet sessions along with the ministers loyal to him.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the ministers loyal to Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat could join him, bringing the government to a standstill.

March 8 rejects the formation of the authority for fears that it would lead to holding the polls based on the 1960 law, which it opposes.

But Suleiman argues that the body should be established in line with the constitutional deadline given that rival parties have so far failed to agree on a new electoral draft-law.

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi is expected to refer to the cabinet a report by the Higher Committee for Consultations on the legality of the authority's formation.

According to An Nahar daily, two out of six members advised the formation of the authority based on the 1960, which they considered valid, while three members stressed that the law can no longer be implemented.

The sixth member had no opinion on the matter, An Nahar said.

Despite the conflicting stances, the March 8 majority will likely emerge victorious in its battle against the government's centrists after garnering four voices - including that of Qortbawi who heads the committee - against the formation of the authority.

But ministerial sources warned in remarks to An Nahar that the country would end up in chaos if the rival sides failed to agree on a new vote law and the 1960 was considered void.

Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun blamed the failure to reach consensus on the new law on both the opposition al-Mustaqbal movement and the centrist Progressive Socialist Party of MP Walid Jumblat.

He told As Safir newspaper that they should exert efforts in the right direction.

The Change and Reform bloc and three other Christian parties have approved the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each side to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system.

The plan has also garnered the approval of the joint parliamentary committees despite the rejection of al-Mustaqbal, the PSP and the March 14 opposition alliance's Christian independent MPs.

Asked about the procrastination in agreeing on a new electoral law, Jumblat told As Safir that he hoped for consensus on a law that would appease all sides.

He didn't provide further details. But al-Mustaqbal bloc sources said that a joint PSP-Mustaqbal plan on a hybrid draft-law that combines the winner-takes-all and proportional representation systems was almost complete.

Speaker Nabih Berri has given the rival blocs time to agree on a vote law before calling for a parliamentary session to approve the Orthodox Gathering proposal.