Electoral law: Geagea open to dialogue, warns Berri 'subcommittee should not become project graveyard'

BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in a letter to Parliament Speaker and Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri that he is ready to discuss any proposal to amend the electoral law, provided talks do not stall in a parliamentary subcommittee.

"You claim to have an electoral law plan that would adhere to the Taif Accord — allowing progress toward abolishing sectarianism and creating a Senate. We are open to dialogue on your proposals, but on one condition: that the subcommittee does not become a graveyard for projects, and that it is given a very short deadline, given the upcoming elections," Geagea said.

He recommended that once that stage is complete, "all projects should then be examined" and forwarded to the Parliament bureau to be submitted to the full assembly.

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Hacking Lebanese Politics #15 [Updated]: Elections, diaspora vote, candidate registration

In his letter, relayed by the state-run National News Agency, Geagea also denounced what he called a "contradiction" in the approach of the Amal-Hezbollah alliance, which has sought to limit expatriate voting to six seats out of 128 in Parliament. The issue has fueled months of heated debate.

"You indicate that it is difficult for Amal and Hezbollah to organize campaigns abroad and exercise their voting rights there without coming under pressure," Geagea wrote, noting that Hezbollah — and, to a lesser extent, Amal — are subject to international sanctions. "But a question arises: how could Amal and Hezbollah supporters be candidates for the six diaspora seats and campaign there, if they cannot do so for the 128 seats in Lebanon?"

Berri, on June 30, blocked a proposed amendment that would have allowed expatriates to vote for all 128 MPs, as in 2018 and 2022. He wants to apply an article from the 2017 law that adds six specific MPs for the diaspora, though the law does not specify how those seats should be distributed.

President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday, in remarks to members of the Lebanese-American Renaissance Partnership (LARP), that it was "natural" for the diaspora to take part in the decision-making process. While the back-and-forth continues between Parliament and the government, a parliamentary committee has invited the government to resolve the issue, which was referred back to Parliament on Tuesday.

Vote des émigrés : Geagea prêt au dialogue, mais prévient Berry que la sous-commission ne doit pas devenir un « cimetière de projets »