Cabinet approves proportionality electoral draft law based on 13 electoral districts

The Cabinet voted Tuesday for a blueprint on an election law to be based upon proportionality and dividing Lebanon into 13 electoral districts, as announced by the Acting Information Minister, Wael Abu Faour, following the session.                

The Cabinet also approved the female quota after a long debate, whereas one woman is entitled to run for the elections in each district.                           

The Cabinet convened today at the Baabda presidential palace, under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic Michel Sleiman, in presence of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in a session devoted to resume the discussion of a long-simmering election law, with a view to finalizing it and forwarding it to the Parliament.                   

Expectedly, MP Walid Jumblatt's National Struggle Front Ministers--namely the Public Works and Transportation Ghazi Aridi, Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour, and Displaced Affairs Minister Alaeddine Terro--objected to the draft law.               

"The [National Struggle] Front's ministers did not venture in any detailed discussion over any district; our position was based on a principle and it is conclusive. We are against this proportionality-based draft law," Minister Abu Faour told reporters.                  

"We did not change our mind. On the contrary, the National Struggle Front ministers are now more convinced of their position after the discussions that took place inside and outside the [Cabinet] sessions. Discussions were not reform-aimed, but rather--and I do not want to be sectarian--[related to] interests and power posts," he added.                   

Under the draft law approved today, Lebanon would be divided into 13 districts as follows:           

-Two districts in Beirut, with nine seats for the first constituency (Ashrafieh-Rmeil-Mdawar-Port-Saifi-Bashoura) and ten seats for the second (Ras Beirut-Dar Mraisseh-Minaa al-Hosn-Zqaq al-Belat-Mazeraa-Msayetbeh);               

-Two districts in the South, with 12 seats for the first constituency (Sidon-Tyre-Jezzine-Zahrani) and 11 for the second (Bint Jbeil-Nabatieh-Marjeioun-Hasbaya);                    

-Three districts in Bekaa, with seven seats for the first constituency (Zahle), six for the second (Rashaya-West Bekaa) and ten for the third (Baalbeck-Hermel);                        
-Three districts in the North, with ten seats for the first constituency (Akkar-Menyeh-Donieh), eight for the second (Tripoli), and ten for the third (Zghorta-Becharri-Koura-Batroun);              

-Three districts in Mount Lebanon, with 14 seats for the first constituency (Baabda-Metn), eight for the second (Jbeil-Keserwan), and 13 for the third (Chouf-Aley).                  

Both Sleiman and Mikati met in a one-to-one prior to the session, with talks featuring high on the current general situation.                 

State Minister Marwan Kheireddine, Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi, Information Minister Walid Daouk, Environment Minister Nazem Khoury, Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, and Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui did not attend the session.


For the full LBCI report, watch the video above.