Press Digest for Thursday January 10, 2013

The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.

• Rai does not support Orthodox Gathering electoral law        

Political sources reported to Al Akhbar Daily that Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Beshara Boutros Rai’s position from the electoral law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering is more compatible with President Michel Sleiman and PM Najib Mikati’s positions.    

The sources added that Patriarch Rai supports the electoral law proposal of Minister Fouad Boutros with some amendments, stressing that Rai did not defend the Orthodox Gathering proposal.     

According to the sources, the statement of the Maronite Bishops did not include a Christian consensus over the proposal and called only for holding a parliamentary session to vote an electoral law once the parliamentary sub-committee tasked to discuss the electoral proposal ends its meetings.           

• Ferezli’s electoral proposal transfers March 14’s leadership to Geagea      

Al Akhbar Newspaper published on Thursday that the electoral law proposed by the Orthodox Gathering will not allow the Free Patriotic Movement to have the majority of Christian parliamentary seats.     

However, and according to the Daily, this proposal will allow the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb Christian parties to gain more seats in the parliament on Future Movement’s account.

The newspaper added that the LF and MP Sami Gemayel cannot approve the Orthodox Gathering law proposed initially by the Former MP Elie Ferezli because it will threaten their ally the Future Movement and will not allow the March 14 bloc to be the parliamentary majority.

• Fatfat admits: Future bloc and its Christian allies have different points of view      

In an interview with Al Liwaa Daily, Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat said that the Future movement and its Christian allies have different points of view concerning the Orthodox Gathering electoral law proposal.

Fatfat however stressed that March 14 parties all agree on the smaller districts proposal.   

He then added that March 14 parties will be voting in the parliament for a new electoral law and will appeal if the Orthodox Gathering’s proposal is ratified.