Could the support of a maverick party leader and a highly influential journalist set the Boutros law snowball rolling?
Could they help make our elections fair?
This blog has long argued that the fairest election law out there is the one set up by the national electoral law commission headed by the highly respected figure Mr. Fouad Boutros. The law proposal (read the draft here) which was commissioned in 2005 but never took off because of the Israeli war, is a modern law which comes closest to fulfilling the two conflicting Lebanese needs of true representation and defragmentation.
The problem was that the law encroaches of the political fiefdoms of powerful parties. For example, proportional representation has the potential to reduce the Future movement’s influence in the North and Hezbollah’s in the south. If it takes on, expect some politicians to fight hard to remove some of its clauses (Mr. Geagea doesn’t like the idea of the under-18 voting –a majority of under-18s are Shiaa–, and Muslims in general don’t like the idea of the diaspora, a large-chunk of which is Christian, voting) In other words, without serious pressure from the media, civil groups and independent politicians, the law will never take off.
There is already a civil campaign to vouch for the law, but without serious political backing, it will gather dust. This is where the endorsements of Mr. Ghassan Tueni — arguably the most influential journalist in Lebanon and a respectable March 14 elder — and that of Mr. Aoun (as per Assafir, May 5, 2008), are important. Such high-profile endorsements put the onus on Politicians like Mr. Berri and Mr. Hariri to explain why they’re against the law, and hopefully embarrass them into signing on.
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The beirut spring is a blog that is interested in Lebanese society and its politics. It started in February 2005 after the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
May 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
its Mkheiber and Tueni who are starting the move, nothing related to Aoun
May 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Roch,
That’s not true. We have to give credit when credit is due.
Assafir reported yesterday that Aoun has decided to back the Boutros law, so MR. Mkheiber is most likely to be speaking for him. I remember being so impressed yesterday that I was about to write a post in praise of Mr. Aoun
May 6th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Mus,
Now you are quoting the rag Assafir. Even if aoun declares any support, he’s a fool. He changes his mind constantly and he’s not medically fit!!Anyway offical site of tayyar has not posted it!
As for election law…Don’t you think you are assuming there will be legal institutions in Lebanon? What kind of election; whereas there is a god damned state within a state??? Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun? Before hallucinating and dreaming in technicolour take a look at the current situation!! “democratic” elections happen when the conditions on the ground permit it. Let me ask you if this is fair: 1/3 of Lebanese, the Shia as well as a lot of Lebanese of other faiths live under HA area of “influence” (it’s mini state)….How the hell can people make up their minds FREELY when the gun is aimed to their heads?? Please, enlighten me how? Butros law or any other are irrelevent issues right now! Give the people the freedom of choice; then decide on the law…
Excuse me for ranting! These discussions are…
May 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Lebanese Muslims don’t like the idea of the Lebanese Diaspora voting is the Lebanese Muslims fault.
Every democraic nation, even Iraq, has given the right for its citizens to vote from abroad. I see no reason that there are More Lebanese Christians than Lebanese Muslims in the world to rule out a fundemental Lebanese national right.
Many of the Lebanese expatriates have long lobbied for this cause, I strongly still lobby for it. In France, Canada, and Australia have done a hefty job in doing so, and will only strenghen their will.
May 7th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Assafir posted about his endorsment of that law, but Tayyar website doesnt even mention the Tueni-Mkheiber proposal!