"The committees, meeting in the morning under the chairmanship of the Vice President of the Parliament, Élias Bou Saab. Photo ANI"
BEIRUT — The joint parliamentary commissions on Monday postponed the examination of two draft laws related to electoral reform and the creation of a senate, both presented by MP Ali Hassan Khalil, a close ally of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
These two proposals — submitted a little over a year before the next legislative deadline — were scheduled for review alongside four other legislative texts, including two related to the Lebanese Red Cross. These latter two bills were deferred to allow time for amendments requested by the organization.
The review of a universal health coverage proposal was delayed by two weeks, while a law on special economic zones, presented by the Strong Lebanon bloc (composed of Free Patriotic Movement MPs), was adopted.
The commissions met under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, with Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine and a large number of deputies in attendance. The body decided to delay discussions on Khalil's electoral law reform proposals pending the receipt of additional amendments and suggestions.
Khalil's includes abolishing religious quotas within Parliament and implementing a proportional voting system with all of Lebanon comprising a single electoral district. In return, a senate with specific quotas for each community would be established. The MP described it as "the best formula," insisting on the need for a "serious debate to achieve a law based on the Taif Agreement [signed in 1989, which ended the Civil War — 1975-1990 — in Lebanon]."
Meanwhile, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) — a former Hezbollah ally and one of the architects of the current law — reintroduced on Monday, through its MPs Cesar Abi Khalil and Ghassan Atallah, the so-called "Orthodox" electoral law from 2013. The law provides for Lebanon to form a single district, where voters would only elect candidates from their religious confession. FPM leader Gebran Bassil, announced on X that his bloc has submitted "an electoral law proposal based on the Orthodox system with additions."
As for the president of the Kataeb Party, Samy Gemayel, he called for a broader discussion on all draft laws and emphasized that the creation of a senate should be a national project.
'Rushed maneuver'
At the end of the meeting, Bou Saab explained that this session had been convened by Berri with six proposals on the agenda. "Some colleagues expressed objections, considering that these projects were neither timely nor relevant, but we reminded them that it is the speaker of the house who sets the agenda and directs the proposals to the specialized commissions," he specified.
Responding to accusations that the inclusion of electoral reforms was a "rushed maneuver," Bou Saab clarified that the proposals were not being imposed hastily. "Any bill submitted for study and debate cannot be considered such," he said, adding that further amendments would be reviewed before a specialized commission is formed.
Khalil expressed disappointment over the tense atmosphere created by some colleagues but reiterated that the speaker had the right to submit any bill to the joint commissions. He emphasized that his proposal had been in the works for six years and aligns with the inaugural address and the ministerial declaration.
"We wish to complete the implementation of the Taif Agreement and modernize the political system. This electoral reform is essential to move away from sectarianism and build a state founded on citizenship," he added.
He rejected the accusation that the proposal would harm the National Pact, a verbal agreement among the different communities, which notably provides for the distribution of state's key posts among the sects. Additionally, he affirmed: "We are open to a calm debate to reach the best electoral formula, in line with the Taif Agreement."
Emphasizing the importance of participation, he noted that "there were more than 80 MPs present at this session, which is crucial for enriching the electoral reform debate. We want to advance political life, and we are not imposing anything on anyone."
Finally, the MP advocated for lowering the voting age to 18.
"I would have liked us to establish an independent electoral commission and not shy away from this fundamental debate," he concluded.
Special economic zones
Bou Saab indicated that two draft laws concerning the Red Cross were on the agenda, but it was decided, in the presence of a Red Cross representative, to postpone their examination until after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, to take into account the organization's suggestions.
Regarding the draft law on the mandatory health coverage system, Bou Saab explained that a "parliamentary commission has already examined this text before sending it back to the joint commissions."
"Its objective is excellent, but it requires coordination with the health minister and the National Social Security Fund [NSSF]," he added. "The minister and the NSSF have requested two weeks to examine it in depth and submit their observations in writing."
The proposal to create special economic zones for technological industries, which had been thoroughly examined by a parliamentary commission, was unanimously adopted. Bou Saab highlighted the law’s potential to boost Lebanon’s economy, create jobs, and open up international markets for Lebanese companies. He expressed hope that it would be approved in a plenary session, marking a step forward in modernizing Lebanon’s technology sector.
