Report: Hariri, Geagea Dispute Has Not Affected Committee Devising Electoral Law

The tensions between Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea over the presidential elections has not impacted the proceedings of the committee tasked with devising a new parliamentary electoral law, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday.

Parliamentary sources added: “On the contrary, it appears that the two sides have agreed to keep the electoral law discussions away from the presidential elections.”

The statements made by LF MP Georges Adwan, a member of the committee, have not indicated that the party would suspend its participation in the talks.

In fact, the LF, Mustaqbal Movement, and Democratic Gathering are committed to devising an electoral law that would see Lebanon as one district, added the sources.

The Kataeb Party is meanwhile pushing for an electoral law that would divide Lebanon into several small districts, they continued.

The LF, Mustaqbal, and Democratic Gathering of MP Walid Jumblat are pushing for an electoral law that would see the election of 68 lawmakers through a majority of votes and 60 through a law based on proportionality, revealed al-Hayat.

Speaker Nabih Berri has meanwhile been pushing for the election of 64 MPs through a majority vote and 64 through proportionality.

Tensions emerged between Hariri and Geagea over the former's proposal of the election of Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, a member in of the rival March 8 camp, as president.

Geagea, Hariri's ally in the March 14 coalition, is also a presidential candidate.