Following the meeting of the ministerial law committee charged with the monitoring of the new electoral law, headed by PM Hariri, Interior Minister Nohad al-Mashnouq said that the progress made is limited and that there are many points that still need to be addressed and clarified.
Meanwhile, Public Works and Transport Minister Youssef Fenianos said that no agreement was reached on the controversial issue of biometric voting cards, noting that the discussions will be resumed upon Hariri’s return from a visit to Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, Social Affairs Minister Pierre Bou Assi of the Lebanese Forces said that “there is progress and proposals that are accepted by several parties.”
For his part, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil stressed the holding the elections is the main priority and it must not be linked to the issue of the biometric card.
The parties are bickering over the issues of pre-registration for voters wishing to cast ballots away from their hometowns, as well as the issue of introducing biometric voting cards.
It is to be noted that, and for the first time in Lebanon’s history, the May 2018 Lebanese elections will be held under a new electoral law that is based on proportional representation system.
On a final note, President Michel Aoun has signed today the 2017 Budget Law, which was approved by the Parliament a few days ago.
