Subcommittee Meetings Suspended over 'Huge Gap' on Vote Law

Rival lawmakers failed on Tuesday to reach an agreement on a hybrid electoral draft-law after they accused each other of obstructing attempts to achieve consensus on a system that would replace the 1960 law.

“Despite our conviction that the country is in a difficult situation and we have certain responsibilities .. we found out that the gap between some members is still very huge,” MP Robert Ghanem, the chairman of a parliamentary subcommittee, said.

“There is no longer any need for the subcommittee to continue its meetings. But this doesn't stop the members from continuing consultations among themselves,” Ghanem told reporters at parliament.

The MPs, who represent the major political parties in the subcommittee, had been tasked with agreeing on a new law that would replace the 1960 law that considers the qada an electoral district and is based on the winner-takes-all system.

It was used in the 2009 elections with some amendments. The majority of parties have rejected it for not guaranteeing a fair representation for all the Lebanese, mainly Christians. But despite their criticism, they failed to agree on a new law.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan, who had threatened to suspend his participation in the meetings if the other members did not react positively to a proposal he made last week, said discussions among the subcommittee members will continue despite the suspension of the sessions.

He urged Speaker Nabih Berri to call for a parliamentary session before May 15 to pave way for discussions in parliament ahead of the deadline set by him.

Berri had given the subcommittee until May 15 to agree on a new law before calling for a legislative session to reach a breakthrough.

During a session last week, Adwan handed the MPs a chart that allows each lawmaker to make his comment and observation on a proposal made by Berri which calls for 50 percent of MPs be elected under the proportional representation system and the other half through the winner-takes-all system.

Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun also called for holding a parliamentary session as soon as possible.

“We are committed to heading to the elections no matter which law was adopted in parliament,” he told reporters. “The polls should also be held on time.”

“Since day one we said we will not obstruct (any deal) and we made our proposal,” said Phalange MP Sami Gemayel.

“If there is anything that can salvage (the country) is Berri's immediate invitation for a general assembly,” he added.

Tashnag MP Hagop Pakradounian also spoke to reporters, saying he rejected further compromises made by Christians. “We cannot relinquish our rights for the sake of consensus.”

Hizbullah's representative, MP Ali Fayyad, reiterated that the party had no problem with the hybrid proposal. But stressed that the issue revolved around consensus among the Christian parties.

Another subcommittee member, National Struggle Front MP Akram Shehayyeb, said: “We support any proposal that paves way for consensus. But a certain party obstructed such attempts,” he said in a clear reference to the Change and Reform bloc.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc MPs Ahmed Fatfat and Serge Torsarkissian made similar accusations, without mentioning which parties were seeking to “push the country towards vacuum.”

“We are sounding the alarm bell,” said Fatfat.