Fadlallah Urges Approval of Electoral Law on May 15, Says Format Can't be 'Imposed'

MP Hassan Fadlallah of Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance bloc on Monday called on the political forces to seek the approval of a new electoral law during the May 15 legislative session as he stressed that no party in Lebanon can “impose” a certain electoral system on the other parties.

“We have a grace period from now until the May 15 parliamentary session that Speaker Nabih Berri has called for, and we want it to be a session for the approval of a new electoral law,” Fadlallah added.

Media reports are speculating that the session will witness a controversial third extension of parliament's term due to the parties' ongoing failure to agree on an electoral law.

Lawmakers were set to extend the legislature's term on April 13 but President Michel Aoun invoked his constitutional powers to suspend parliament for one month and force the postponement of a legislative session.

“We want this country to live a state of calm and stability, away from tensions and attempts to drag it into problems that it can do without,” Fadlallah added.

He emphasized that “there is no possibility for anyone in Lebanon to impose a certain format on the other parties, seeing as the composition and sectarian nature of our country necessitate consensus on the essential issues.”

The lawmaker warned that “we must not take the country to sectarian tensions, because there are external parties that are working night and day on stirring disputes among the sects in Lebanon.”

Fadlallah also stressed that “there will not be any disputes” between Hizbullah and Aoun or between the party and its ally the Free Patriotic Movement.

“But some divergence and debate might take place sometimes over the electoral law or other issues and this is something normal,” the MP added.

He also reassured that “the elections will be eventually held and we will have a new parliament.”