Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday announced that the Change and Reform bloc rejects a return to the 1960 electoral law as well as any attempt to extend the parliament’s term for a third time.
“Should the political forces refuse to approve a new law, citizens would have the right to rebel against the political authority,” said Bassil after the bloc’s weekly meeting in Rabieh.
He stressed that the FPM “will not accept a third extension of the parliament’s term or the 1960 law,” warning that it has “a lot of political and popular choices to prevent imposing a de facto situation through re-endorsing the 1960 law.”
“There are bilateral and tripartite efforts and we call for expanding them so that we don’t lose this chance to pass a new law,” Bassil added, noting that President Michel Aoun “is the guarantee and he does not accept political injustice against anyone.”
Asked about the concerns of Druze leader Walid Jumblat, who has openly rejected proportional representation, Bassil said Jumblat “knows our faith in Mount Lebanon’s unity.”
“We do not want to impose a law but we won’t let anyone force us to maintain the current situation,” the FPM chief added, referring to the 1960 law.
And noting that the 1960 law “is not compatible with the Taef Accord,” Bassil hoped that Prime Minister and al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri will offer concessions for the sake of the country.
“We hope that PM Saad Hariri will give the country the same as he did in the past, and we are here to strengthen him, not to weaken him,” Bassil said.
Speaker Nabih Berri and Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq have warned that the country is likely headed to parliamentary elections under the controversial 1960 electoral law due to the parties’ failure to agree on a new law.
Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law fully based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially Mustaqbal and the Progressive Socialist Party, have rejected the proposal, arguing that Hizbullah’s weapons would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party has clout.
Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the PSP have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.
The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.
The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.
