Don’t Demonize Proportional Representation

Attacking a good idea for political expediency..

There’s a new talking point in Beirut: An electoral law based on proportional representation is evil because it reinstates Damascus’ influence by increasing the power of its allies in Lebanon.

I understand when people like MP Walid Jumblatt peddle such rubbish. After all, he stands to significantly lose influence if such a law was to be enacted. But MP Hariri’s reiteration of this argument yesterday is very worrying to me.

It was established again and again that an election law based on proportionality is fairer and more representative than a winner-takes-all system. It is backed by upstanding and respected Lebanese public figures, by NGOs and by election theorists everywhere. To dismiss it as a Syrian conspiracy is a grave insult to our intelligence.

Mr. Hariri’s full throated attack on proportional representation in the May 6 rally betrays more than a lack of confidence. It contradicts his important message about the inevitability of Bashar Assad’s demise. How could the regime in Damascus be falling and plotting to take over Lebanon at the same time?

A more likely explanation is that this was a message from the Saudi King to MP Jumblat via Mr. Hariri. The Saudis are extending a hand of forgiveness and support to the druze leader because they could use all the allies they can get to fight the regime in Damascus.

I’m not naive about the intentions of some of the people who are promoting the law right now, but what I find disconcerting is the wholesale attack on it as if it were intrinsically bad (as opposed to ill-timed).

A more appropriate message would be to concede that the law is good but that it can only be implemented once the Syrian regime is gone. Instead, we are witnessing a complete shooting down of a good principle for the cynical reason of perpetuating one family’s hold on political power.