MP Ali Hassan Khalil (Amal Movement) speaking on June 11 at the Parliament building. Photo provided by the Lebanese Parliament.
Amal Movement MP Ali Hassan Khalil reaffirmed Wednesday the need for the government to honor its commitment to draft a new "just" electoral law, as stated in its ministerial declaration.
Speaking during a session of the parliamentary subcommittee tasked with reviewing electoral law proposals, Khalil expressed regret that “this approach has not yet been put on the right track,” despite its “exceptional importance.” He said that, according to the interior minister, two months are needed to prepare the draft law and called for “a clear response from the prime minister on the government’s intentions in this matter.”
The MP described the issue as “fundamental if we are to maintain the regularity of constitutional life.” He added: “It is time for the Lebanese to face reality: they must break away from sectarian and communal constraints to improve political representation and advance political life.”
Khalil recalled that his political bloc has long advocated for the creation of a Senate and a nonsectarian Parliament, as envisioned in the Taif Agreement. “What we propose targets no one and is not based on any narrow political calculation,” he said.
He also emphasized that his bloc is open to discussing all proposals on the table, “from the law based on single-member constituencies to the so-called orthodox one,” and called for “the courage to open this debate without restraint.”
Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab, who chaired the meeting, noted that “the ministerial statement mentions a clear commitment to a modern electoral text.” He asked, “What has the government done in this direction? Has it prepared such a text?” According to Bou Saab, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar promised that a bill would be ready “in a month or two,” once finalized by the Cabinet and submitted to Parliament.
Bou Saab also warned of tight timelines: “There is only one year left before the elections,” and the Interior Ministry "is not ready to issue the smart electoral card.” He added that he hoped the foreign minister would attend the next session “to provide essential answers on voting by Lebanese abroad.”
Two legislative proposals were presented by Khalil, a close adviser to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The first would amend the 2017 electoral law — under which the 2018 and 2022 legislative elections were held — to create a single national constituency based on proportional representation, replacing the current 15-district model. The second would establish a Senate composed of 46 members elected based on sectarian quotas, with parity between Christians and Muslims. Under this system, members of Parliament would no longer be elected along sectarian lines, as is currently the case.
The so-called “orthodox” electoral law proposal, dating from 2013, envisions Lebanon as a single electoral constituency in which voters cast ballots only for candidates of their own religious sect.
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