Lebanon Official Says Poll Law Faulty

14/05/2005| IslamWeb

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has acknowledged that the country's election law is faulty and unjust but said it is the best possible law under the circumstances.

At a news conference during which he also announced his ticket for south Lebanon elections on 5 June, Berri said the law is the lesser of two evils.

But one of the priorities of the new parliament, he said, will be to draw up a modern law that will be acceptable to all Lebanese.

Efforts to come up with a new election law based on smaller districts were stymied when Berri declined to open a legislative session to discuss a new law.

Berri is expected to fare better under the old arrangement and some opposition members are thought to have quietly condoned Berri's move to ensure their re-election as well.

For the south Lebanon election, Berri, leader of the pro-Syrian Amal militia, has teamed up with Shia rivals of the Hizbullah group to forge joint tickets likely to sweep votes in the area and return many of Syria's allies to parliament.

Al-Hariri assassination

The election has divided the anti-Syrian opposition, which united many Christians and Muslims in rejecting Syrian dominance after the 14 February assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri.

Elections are scheduled to begin on 29 May and run until 19 June.

Some politicians have suggested postponing them until a new, more representative election law can be drawn up while others have hinted at a possible boycott.

But the United States, the European Union and the United Nations - which all pressured Syria to withdraw all of its troops from Lebanon last month so unimpeded elections could be held - have demanded voting be held on time.

PHOTO CAPTION

An electric vehicle decorated by the electoral coalition of Lebanon's slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and bearing on it the slogan in Arabic 'With You' drives in downtown Beirut, Saturday, May 14, 2005. (AP)