A draft law introduced by MP Ali Hassan Khalil during a joint parliamentary committee session on Monday has ignited significant controversy within Lebanon's political circles. The proposal to designate Lebanon as a single electoral district and establish a Senate is being criticized as a potentially dangerous move that could destabilize the country’s political system.

The proposal quickly drew backlash from Lebanon’s Christian political factions, particularly the Lebanese Kataeb Party. The party’s leader, MP Samy Gemayel, was among the most vocal critics, expressing his opposition during a news conference at Parliament.

“Making Lebanon one electoral district contradicts the Taif Agreement and undermines the principles of fair representation,” Gemayel stated.

“It also contradicts our proposal for a single-member district system, ‘one person, one vote,’” he continued, stressing that a larger constitutional effort is needed to thoroughly examine the creation of a Senate.

According to a prominent electoral expert, the single-member district system ensures more accurate representation by redistributing votes across political parties and boosting the chances of independent candidates with strong public support. This system also curtails electoral corruption and vote-buying, which are prevalent under other electoral frameworks. The expert told Kataeb.org that under Lebanon’s current electoral system, wealth often determines election outcomes, giving affluent candidates a significant edge.

In fact, the Kataeb Party first introduced the single-member district system in 2016, submitting a draft law to Parliament at the time. This proposed law called for a two-round voting process, where candidates would need to secure a majority of at least 50% plus one vote in the first round to win outright. Since achieving such a majority in the first round is unlikely, the second round would offer political parties a chance to negotiate and transfer votes strategically.

Instead of dividing Lebanon into 128 electoral districts, as is the current system, Kataeb’s proposal mapped out 101 single-member districts and 11 larger districts, including Beirut, Sidon, and Tripoli. These districts would follow the 'one person, one vote' principle.

As debate continues, it remains unclear whether Khalil’s proposal will gain traction in Parliament, but the issue has undoubtedly sparked a renewed discussion about Lebanon’s electoral system and the broader political future of the country.

This is an English adaptation of an Arabic article written by Chady Hilani.