March 14 Intensifies Meetings to Agree on Electoral Draft-Law

The different factions of the March 14 opposition alliance held a series of meetings on Monday to join forces in proposing a draft-electoral law that satisfies all parties, An Nahar daily reported.

The newspaper said that al-Mustaqbal bloc leader Fouad Saniora discussed with several other opposition leaders the electoral law.

Another meeting was held between Lebanese Forces and Phalange party representatives. Democratic Gathering bloc MPs Marwan Hamadeh, Fouad al-Saad, Henri Helou and Antoine Saad also held talks with Phalange lawmaker Sami Gemayel.

An Nahar expected the meetings to expand and include representatives of Walid Jumblat's centrist National Struggle Front bloc.

The opposition and Jumblat have rejected a draft-law approved by the government that divides Lebanon into 13 medium-sized districts based on proportional representation.

LF MP Antoine Zahra told An Nahar that his party is still drafting a proposal through consultations with its allies, mainly the Phalange and al-Mustaqbal movement to set the number of districts between 52 and 61.

This would allow 57 to 60 Christians MPs from being elected by Christian voters, he said.

Al-Mustaqbal lawmaker Nuhad al-Mashnouq said the movement was waiting for the draft proposal to be complete before discussing it.

He stressed the “solid” relationship between al-Mustaqbal and the LF.