A protester demanding the right for Lebanese expatriates to vote for all 128 members of parliament, not just the six seats reserved for the diaspora, during a sit-in in Beirut on July 31, 2025. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese Foreign Ministry has proposed a bill to repeal articles 112 and 122 of the electoral law, which pertain to expatriate voting, the Bustros Palace announced.
This text, marked as extra urgent, was sent Monday, Oct. 13, to the secretary-general of Parliament.
The two targeted articles call for the addition of six seats for members of the diaspora in Parliament.
The Foreign Ministry's bill proposes repealing these two articles and allowing Lebanese residing abroad to vote for all 128 members of Parliament based on their registration district — a matter that has divided the Lebanese political scene for months.
"This initiative by the Foreign Ministry follows the reception in recent weeks of a number of petitions and letters from large numbers of Lebanese community members worldwide," the ministry's press office said, noting letters sent from several European countries and from Abuja, Nigeria, all demanding the right to vote for the full 128-member Parliament rather than just six diaspora-specific seats.
At its meeting on Sept. 16, Parliament stated it could not implement article 112 in its current form, instead leaving the matter to Parliament. However, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has refused to include the matter on the agenda of a plenary session.
This categorical rejection by the legislative chief — who wants to apply the law as it was passed in 2017 — prompted MPs seeking an amendment to boycott two legislative sessions two weeks ago.
Foreign Minister Joe Rajji belongs to the Lebanese Forces (LF) quota and is pushing for an amendment.
Rajji told our newspaper that the draft text contains only two points: the abolition of Articles 112 and 122 of the 2017 law. “I have done my duty as Foreign Minister. It is now up to Parliament to decide before passing the ball to the Parliament,” he said. He added, “The issue has stalled. The only solution left is for the government to intervene. Hence my initiative.”
According to L’Orient Today, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is reportedly aligned with Rajji’s approach. A ministerial source indicated that Parliament could discuss the matter during its session scheduled for next week. “This session will not be exclusively devoted to this issue,” the source qualified.
The articles relating to the addition of six diaspora seats were not implemented in the last two legislative elections (2018 and 2022).
