Not granting diaspora 'total voting rights' is a setback for the principles of equality and citizenship: Rai

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai called once more for an amendment of the electoral law, to allow expatriates to vote for all 128 MPs and not for six additional MPs, qualifying it as a "setback for the principles of equality and citizenship enshrined in the Constitution."

During his Sunday sermon from Bkirki, Rai stated that blocking the inclusion of the law on the Parliament’s agenda by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the "delay in the application of total voting rights" puts Lebanon in a position where it cannot thrive through "marginalization, but through participation between its residents and its diaspora."

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The patriarch pointed out that the electoral law allocates only six seats for Lebanese expatriates, one seat per continent, yet “many national forces today are calling for the full right of expatriates to vote for all 128 MPs, rather than limiting their representation to just six.”

'Lebanese expatriate is not a second-class citizen'

“The Lebanese expatriate is not a second-class citizen, but a son of the nation who left it unwillingly and has remained emotionally, economically and humanly connected to it. The expatriates have contributed, and continue to contribute, to supporting Lebanon in its most difficult circumstances through financial transfers and projects. So should they be rewarded by having their constitutional rights diminished?” Rai said.

On Tuesday, a parliamentary session was canceled again after failing to reach quorum, as anti-Hezbollah MPs and parties boycotted the meeting to protest against Berri's refusal to discuss electoral law amendments.

The participation of the diaspora in the upcoming elections has been a divisive issue in Lebanon for several months as 67 MPs, a clear majority of the 128-member chamber, have requested that the current electoral law be amended so that Lebanese abroad can vote from their country of residence for all metropolitan MPs, rather than just for six seats reserved for them, as stipulated in Article 112 of the current law.

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A decision about the issue has also been postponed by Cabinet, which asked Foreign Minister Joe Rajji and Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar to present a report during the next meeting.

Rai also offered his condolences to the parents of Elio Abou Hanna and condemned “this heinous assassination.”

Abou Hanna, 24, was fatally shot by an armed Palestinian patrol in Shatila camp after accidentally entering the area while driving from Beirut. Four suspects linked to his killing were handed over to the Lebanese Army by Palestinian authorities, as calls for disarmament of all armed non-state actors are on the rise in Lebanon.