Lebanon's parliamentary elections: Three main issues spark debate on reforming the electoral law

Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

The inclusion of the draft law on parliamentary elections, proposed by the Development and Liberation Bloc, on the agenda of the joint committees, has sparked broad discussions about the electoral law.

The real debate in the coming period will focus on three main points: the number of preferential votes, voting by expatriates, and the "megacenters" or voting centers where any citizen can vote instead of being forced to go to their hometown.

The discussion centers on increasing preferential votes from one to two. The implications of this change are that, in mixed districts, the party with the ability to mobilize and organize votes can direct preferential votes to more than one candidate, potentially winning more seats at the expense of other lists.

The debate over expatriate voting revolves around the creation of six parliamentary seats designated for expatriates, as stipulated by the current electoral law. 

The background of the issue lies in the struggle between those who want to separate the impact of the expatriate vote from the 128 current seats and those who want to maintain their influence in Lebanon.

The topic of "megacenters" has also become a point of division. These centers could reduce political parties' influence and pressure on voters. 

The apparent reason for the division is technical, as the discussion involves the need for magnetic cards to allow voters to vote at their preferred center. However, the underlying reason is political.

The joint committees agreed to delay the discussion until all proposals are gathered for review.

Outside the committees, the real debate has begun, and the time leading up to the elections allows for the necessary reforms to be made to a law that all parties agree contains several flaws.