Christian Leaders Meet in Bkerke, Say 'Open to Discuss All Proposals for Accord on Electoral Law'

Factions participating in the Christian summit held in Bkerke on Friday revealed that they are "open to discussing all proposals to reach consensus over an electoral law."

"Participants in the talks confirmed that they are open to discuss all suggestions that could lead to reaching common grounds concerning the electoral law,” a statement released by Bkerke said.

It added: “They also agreed on holding talks with other factions in the country.”

The meeting was chaired by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi with the participation of Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel, Free Patriotic Movement head MP Michel Aoun, Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Frangieh, Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan representing the party's leader Samir Geagea, in addition to MPs Butros Harb, Alain Aoun, Sami Gemayel, and former minister Ziad Baroud and Youssef Saade.

Rahi briefed the Christian leaders on the so-called “Rome agreement”, and they agreed on finding a “solution for the current crisis” that takes into consideration “Bkerke's principles”.

Media reports said that the two-page “Rome Agreement” document states that political foes should consent on a hybrid electoral law that divides the parliamentary seats equally based on winner-takes-all and proportional systems or 60 percent of MPs be elected through the winner-takes-all and 40 according to the proportional system.

The document also calls on the formation of a senate, where senators would be elected according to the Orthodox Gathering proposal.

As well, the “Rome Agreement” suggests the formation of an independent authority overseeing the elections and carrying out the senate elections and parliamentary elections on the same day.

A new cabinet must also be formed to supervise the polls, according to the agreement.

Lebanese rival parties are divided over the electoral law after President Michel Suleiman, premier Najib Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the Progressive Socialist Party, and the independent Christian MPs of the March 14 opposition voiced rejection to the Orthodox Gathering proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system.

Suleiman and Miqati have signed a decree that sets the elections on June 9 based on the 1960 law that was used in the 2009 polls over the lack of agreement between the bickering parliamentary blocs.

Their call have drawn the ire of the March 8 majority coalition, which has rejected the law.