March 8 Calls on Berri to Hold Parliamentary Session for Adoption of Orthodox Proposal
Lawmakers representing the March 8 alliance called on Wednesday on Speaker Nabih Berri to hold a parliamentary session for the approval of the so-called Orthodox Gathering draft-law.
“The March 8 parliamentary blocs insist on holding the elections on time based on a law other than the 1960 law,” Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan told reporters at the parliament in Beirut's Nijmeh Square.
Kanaan, who is loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun, said that the March 8 coalition is holding on the Orthodox Gathering proposal.
“We call on Berri to hold a parliamentary session for the adoption of Orthodox proposal... as an attempt to cancel the 1960 law,” the lawmaker said.
A consensus over an electoral law has yet to be reached among the political foes.
The Orthodox proposal that considers Lebanon a single district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system, was opposed by President Michel Suleiman, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, al-Mustaqbal bloc, the PSP, and the independent Christian MPs of the March 14 opposition, saying it harms the social fabric and increases sectarian tension.
The meeting included representatives of Berri's Development and Liberation, Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance, FPM's Change and Reform, Tashnag party and Marada Movement parliamentary blocs.
“Our stance is clear, we conciser that there's a historical chance for Lebanon to adopt a new electoral law that represents all the (Lebanese segments) equally,” Kanaan said.
The MP pointed out that the coalition is keen to “preserve the country and maintain the state and its stability by filling the vacuum that shouldn't occur.”
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 totally rejected the law.
Berri kicked of on Tuesday consultations with March 8 and 14 foes on the electoral draft-law.
11 years
Someone could explain to Berri that with the ascendance of M14 in a new election austerity will have to be implemented. All of his plums would be privatized by the IMF.
Lebanon has a choice. Soak the rich, implement governance reform and establish a public central bank that creates Lebanons currency and credit. The alternative is Lebanon's public wealth stolen and debt peonage for decades.
11 years
public central bank.... ufffffff.......!
11 years
To naharnet web editor : "we conciser..." or "we consider"?
11 years
Do you mean the patrons of the politicians or the voters when you say constituents? It was obvious even in the last Bill for the implementation of the SCC wage scale that it is the patrons that are rotten to the core.
Lebanon: Outcomes of the Wage Increase Plan
http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-outcomes-wage-increase-plan
What is clear is that without bold and honest leadership Lebanon is headed into the clutches of the IMF and austerity. Think of Greece.
11 years
I take a more generous approach to "citizens". The public has been trained by the oligarchs to believe the tripe the national media puts out.
The word of the plutocracy becomes "common knowledge" when it is in fact the seeds of propaganda that they use to confound and confuse the "citizens".
By the time the crimes are discovered the deeds are done and dusted while the public interest is defiled ... Just look at real estate on the Lebanese coast.
11 years
This got nothing to do with religion, corruption is the driving force of all our political problems. They share the pie, try to steal as much as possible, give some to their supporters (based on religion cause its the easiest classing force)to maintain popularity, then get re elected.... its a viscous circle and only halting corruption can break it. 99% of the lebanese vote to whom can give them financial/economical benefits and incentives. Balad services and wasayit....
11 years
if they approve the orthodox law that means all lebanese will be equal whomever win, all sects will be equal in rights...after that the elected people will sit together & make a new system for lebanon (new regime 2013)..the best is a civil state were all are lebanese no matter what their sect is.
11 years
but orthodox law is not compatible with mounasafa
11 years
Should we be working towards a law that makes all sects equal or should we be working towards a law that makes all citizens equal? Sectarianism is the reason we are a 3rd world country folks.
11 years
No need to scream it or anything. First they need to pick a new government, who will then have to pass an election law so that hopefully we can have elections to get a new parliament who will have to again agree on a new government.
And then, presidential elections in 2014.
Now knowing the rate at which these things go in lebanon, do you think this will all be finished by the time aoun is still eligible to run ;) isn't he the one appalled at having to extend retirement age for government officers? ;)
Ma jesr jal el dib w ba3ed ma ballashou
11 years
poor lebanon... getting more and more sectarian just to preserve the power of a few corrupted and irresponsible elite under the banner of religion! welcome to the middle ages with the approval of lebanese sheep! yeepee!
christians my a... muslims my a.. druze my a.. till people don t react in terms of nation instead of religion this country will remain a third world one!
11 years
have you seen where religion has led and is leading this country? religion is the stupidest thing invented by men to control them... and it still works till now.
11 years
religions were created by men not by God so insulting them is not insulting God...
11 years
Peace, I agree with you on the separation of state and religion but cannot agree with you on where the blame lies.
Blaming religion for the problem is like blaming the car or the liquor instead of the drunk driver.
11 years
lebanonfirst:
aren t all the lebanese problems based on religions and the use of them?
aren t people hiding behind their religion and defending it better than their own country?
religions have been the best tools to manipulate people throughout centuries and people still want more...
11 years
I see what you are saying but the blame is on how people use the religion and not the religion itself. I see a lot of good things that come from religion too like Feed my starving children and the Red Cross. My church groups have programs for the youths to keep them off the streets; we volunteer at food shelters and bring food with us to feed the homeless. We send money to organizations such Auxilia lebanon. Again, to me it is all about one's own knowledge and what you can do with it. We cannot eliminate religion but we can spread knowledge.
An interesting gambit which I am sure Berri will decline to initiate for fear of his portfolio of graft being shredded by any M14 government.