Gemayel Confers over Electoral Law Proposal with Parliamentary Bloc Delegation

Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel on Monday held a meeting with members of the Development and Liberation parliamentary at the party's headquarter in Saifi, with talks featuring high on a draft electoral law put forth by Speaker Nabih Berri.

The visiting delegation included MPs Anwar Khalil, Hani Kobeissy and Ibrahim Azar.

Speaking following the meeting, Khalil explained that the proposed law would make Lebanon a single electoral constituency in which parliamentary seats are equally shared between Christians and Muslims, and proportionally between the sects and regions.

The law is based on the proportional voting system rather than majoritarian or preferential ones, he pointed out.

"Six seats would be allocated for representatives of non-residents in addition to the already existing 128 seats. We also suggested the adoption of a 20-seat female quota, thus making up 15 percent of the Parliament,” the lawmaker elaborated, adding that the law also suggests reducing the voting age to 18.

Khalil stressed that Gemayel has suggested new ideas during the meeting, assuring that the bloc will be taken them into consideration in its proposal.