March 14 Coalition Threatened By Draft Lebanese Electoral Law
Some groups, including the March 14 Coalition, mistrust that the Orthodox Electoral Law will improve the political scene, reports Elie Hajj.
The proposed Lebanese electoral law is quickly making its way forward in advance of the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in June. The law would stipulate that the people of Lebanon can only vote for people from their own religious sect.
The proposal was approved during deliberations between the joint parliamentary committees on Tuesday [Feb. 19] and is ready to be put to the vote by the Parliament General Authority. Lebanon finds itself today at a crossroads in its modern political history that's set to shake up political alliances.
The proposal is dubbed the “Orthodox Gathering,” in reference to the political group affiliated with the Orthodox Christian community, headed by former deputy speaker Elie Ferzli, who supports the Syrian regime and Hezbollah.
This proposal, which seems strange and provocative at the first glance, would not have drawn this much attention compared to other electoral laws had it not been approved during a special meeting chaired by the head of the Maronite Church, Cardinal Bechara al-Rai, that included the “rival brothers” — the leaders of the largest Maronite parties: Michel Aoun (Free Patriotic Movement), Samir Geagea (Lebanese Forces Party), Amin Gemayel (Kataeb Party) and Suleiman Franjieh (Marada Movement).
