Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Gibran Bassil, said on Sunday during a visit to Byblos (Jbeil) that what makes Lebanon special is not only its diversity but the equity of representation and rule it provides its people.
The Minister lauded Jbeil’s coexistence, dubbing the city a message in itself and a manifestation of the humanitarian dimension of each Lebanese citizen.
“What consecrates this coexistence is an electoral law. There lays the true challenge,” said Bassil.
“We need to approach the electoral law with this attitude and ask ourselves, are we all equal or not?”
According to Bassil Christians residing within an area of Muslim majority and vice-versa should be heard and have their votes count. This, however, was not the country’s political reality. He pointed out that Christians were more wide spread all over Lebanese territories than Muslims.
“We must reward Christians for that and not punish them for wanting to live with everyone across Lebanon.”
Bassil noted that Christians enjoyed more political diversity than Muslims who stuck to much limited major sectarian blocs.
“It is time for us to choose which regime we want to live by.”
