Lebanon's Electoral Law And the Regional Crisis

The recent move by the Lebanese March 14 coalition’s Christian parties to support the so-called Orthodox Gathering’s election law surprised their allies, yet the alliance insists that it is still united, writes Elie Hajj.
A Christian woman uses a cross and a rosary to bless a poster with an image of senior intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan during a protest against his killing, at Martyrs' square in downtown Beirut October 20, 2012. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Saturday he had been asked by the president to stay in his post as fear and anger over the assassination of a senior intelligence chief opposed to the Syrian leadership gripped the country. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL
A Christian woman uses a cross and a rosary to bless a poster with an image of senior intelligence official Wissam al-Hassan during a protest against his killing, at Martyrs' square in downtown Beirut, Oct. 20, 2012. - REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah
elie hajj.JPG
Elie Hajj
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The Arab uprisings are affecting Lebanese electoral law choices. Lebanese Christian parties in the March 14 coalition believe that if the Christian vote is not “liberated,” an electoral “massacre” will ensue.

The major Lebanese Christian parties surprised their Muslim allies, especially Sunnis and Druze, when they opted for a parliamentary election law based on each sect choosing its own MPs.

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