REPORT: Parliament’s mandate to be technically extended until May 2018

Sources told LBCI on Wednesday that an agreement was reached on the technical extension of the parliament’s mandate until May 20, 2018, provided that parliamentary elections would be held during the 60 days before the end of the parliament’s term, that is on May 6, 2018.

This as a Cabinet session chaired by President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri is currently underway at the Baabda Presidential Palace to discuss the new vote law.

At the beginning of the session, Aoun hailed the agreement that was reached between the rival parties ​over a new vote law, dubbing it as an “achievement.”

“The majoritarian vote law did not give apt representation for the Lebanese people,” he added.

President Aoun also noted that the session will remain open until the endorsement of the new vote law and its referral to the Parliament.

For his part, PM Hariri noted that the extension of the parliament’s mandate will be only technical in order to hold “modern, fair and transparent elections.”

Prior to the session, Minister of Interior Nouhad Machnouq said that he will suggest “the technical extension of the parliament’s mandate for one year,” adding that magnetic voting cards need no less than seven months to be ready.

For his part, Minister of Industry Hussein Hajj Hassan hailed the proportionality that was introduced in the new vote law, adding that he prefers that the preferential vote would be done according to the constituency instead of the district.

Meanwhile, Planning Affairs Minister Michel Pharaon said that he received a draft of the agreed vote law in the morning.

He also voiced hopes that the new electoral law would be implemented at the end of this year.

This as a closed meeting was held between Aoun and Hariri prior to the cabinet session.

The Lebanese rival parties reached agreement on Tuesday on an electoral law, staving off a political crisis and paving the way for a parliamentary election.

 

The present parliament has extended its own term twice since it was elected in 2009 because of fundamental disagreements between the parties.

 

LBCI/REUTERS
 


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