BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea Monday shied away from taking a clear stance regarding his party’s participation in this week’s legislative sessions, but urged that a new electoral law be included on the Parliament’s voting agenda.
“The problem is not about [approving] funds. Financial problems never killed a community. Other problems do kill faster than financial problems,” Samir Geagea told a news conference.
“A [new] electoral law has national, constitutional significance,” he said. “Very frankly, I say no one [but the LF] wants a new electoral law.”
Samir Geagea pleaded with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri to work toward including the electoral law on the agenda of the Nov. 12-13 legislative sessions.
Samir Geagea emphasized the LF position to participate in the legislative sessions would be “jointly taken” with the Free Patriotic Movement.
His remarks came just hours after Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai criticized the parliamentary blocs’ approach to dealing with the lingering political crises.
Rai also touched on the LF’s and FPM’s demand to take up the electoral bill on the agenda.
“Nothing can stop the inclusion of the draft law on the agenda,” he said at the opening of the 49th session of the Council of Maronite Bishops at Bkirki, seat of the Maronite church.
Berri has pledged to go ahead with the crucial Parliament meeting this week to pass urgent draft laws, defying a possible boycott by the country’s three leading Christian parties over the exclusion of the electoral draft law from the agenda.
Parliamentary sources in the Future Movement said Future MP Samir Jisr would discuss with the FPM and the LF Monday proposals that might lead to a compromise over an electoral draft law.
MP Ibrahim Kanaan from Aoun’s bloc, who discussed the legislative sessions with Rai over the weekend, also said the FPM and the LF “will decide whether to boycott the session together or participate in it together.”
Source dailystar.com.lb.