REPORT: Christian parties meet in Bkerke, discuss electoral law

Amid continuous calls for a new electoral law able to reach consensus, the head of Change and Reform bloc MP Michel Aoun stressed the need to hold on the Orthodox draft law, refusing any other alternative. Aoun made his remarks during the Bkerke meeting called for by the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai.              

However, the Kataeb party and the Lebanese Forces also called for holding on the Orthodox gathering’s proposal, but stressed the need to carry on the search for better alternatives.

For his part, MP Boutros Harb reiterated his rejection for the mentioned draft law, adding that the failure to reach a solution can prevent the elections from taking place and keep the current the cabinet.               

In this context, member of the Change and Reform bloc MP Alain Aoun told LBCI that the Bkerke meeting confirmed the commitment of the parties to the Orthodox law and their openness to the presentation of another alternative, noting that meetings will be held as soon as a new development is reached during the ongoing negotiations.                     

Aoun pointed out that MP Harb mentioned, during the meeting, a proposal presented by President Michel Sleiman and was previously rejected.                  

During the meeting, Rai delivered a message from the President, whereby he called upon the parties to respect the constitutional deadlines and to hold the elections on time, while the reply of the majority was that “reaching a law that ensures fair representation is more important than any deadline”.


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