Quorum of Parliamentary Session in Hands of LF and Phalange
The fate of a parliamentary session scheduled to be held on Wednesday to discuss a new electoral draft-law is unclear over the lack of final stances on the participation of two blocs from the March 14 alliance.
The Phalange and the Lebanese Forces are emerging the major players in guaranteeing a needed quorum of 65 MPs for the session.
Media reports said that if the March 8 coalition's 58 members attend the general assembly – an unlikely move over the lack of support of four supporters - along with the LF, which has eight representatives in the parliament but two of them are abroad, they would still not be able to guarantee a quorum.
So the ball is in the court of the Phalange, whose stance is also unclear. The reports said that one of its members, MP Nadim Gemayel, has informed the party leadership that he would join al-Mustaqbal, the National Struggle Front, the March 14's independent Christian lawmakers, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and caretaker Minister of State Ahmed Karami in boycotting the session.
Speaker Nabih Berri has put the so-called Orthodox Gathering proposal as the sole item on the agenda despite heavy criticism from several March 14 blocs.
His move came after MPs failed during a meeting of parliament's bureau to agree on the items that should be placed on the agenda.
The Orthodox plan is the only draft-law approved by the joint parliamentary committees. But it is severely criticized by the parties which have announced that they would boycott the four consecutive sessions that start on Wednesday.
The proposal considers Lebanon a single electoral district and allows each sect to vote for its own MPs under a proportional representation system.
Its opponents claim that it encourages extremism and leads to more sectarianism in the country. But the March 8 alliance along with the LF and Phalange from March 14 stress that the plan is the only way to guarantee the best representation of Christians.
The 1960 law, which is based on the winner-takes-all system and was used in the 2009 elections, has marginalized Christians, they say.
12 years
We didn't create Lebanon and loose so many lives so that we can segregate ourselves again. Yes the Christians r losing power, but that's their own fault for not demanding rights. The orthodox proposal is a step backwards and is dangerous. I agree with Nadim Gemayel. There must be another way where Muslims can vote for Christians and vice versa not Muslims vote Muslims and Christians vote Christians otherwise what was the point of all the lives lost and the civil war.
12 years
Now is the time to impose the neutrality law on the agenda.
I love the use of the term "Independent Christians". should more accurately read dependant Christians. Dependant on Hariri and the PSP for their election.
I cant say I agree completely with the orthodox law. i think it is a step in the wrong direction towards sectarian rather than secular state. however those "independent Christians" are the example of the marginalization of the Christian vote. Their loyalty is to the the hand that feeds them. They know very well they have no chance being elected under this proposed law. Some sort of hybrid law of proportionality is a fairer law and one used in most secular democracies.