MPs propose bill to allow expatriates to vote for all parliamentarians
Several lawmakers presented a bill to Parliament on Friday aimed at allowing Lebanese expatriates to vote from their countries of residence based on the district of their region of origin, not for the six MPs reserved for the diaspora, as stipulated in the 2017 electoral law. Member of Parliament Georges Okais, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, explained that "expatriates should be able to vote for the 128 deputies according to the district of the region they originate from in Lebanon to truly participate in Lebanese political life and not just for six MPs reserved for the diaspora, as the law stipulates."
The 2017 electoral law was the first to enshrine the voting rights of expatriates from their country of residence. However, it included a clause allocating six MPs to the diaspora, one per continent, from which they should choose, in addition to the 128 MPs, which many observers consider unfairly restrictive. However, this clause was not fully implemented during the 2022 legislative elections. While expatriates were able to vote, they did so based on their district of origin in Lebanon, without the six diaspora MPs being added to the total number of parliamentarians. An amendment to the law had been exceptionally adopted for that single election. The clause of the six MPs reserved for the diaspora would apply to the next legislative elections in 2026.
This proposal was presented to Parliament on Friday by MPs Georges Okais (Lebanese Forces), Faysal al-Sayegh (Progressive Socialist Party), Michel Doueihy, Ibrahim Mneimneh, Melhem Khalaf, and Najat Aoun Saliba (protest), but it was signed by many MPs from various political affiliations.
According to their statement, the proposal concerns a legislation that carries the character of double urgency to amend electoral law 144/2017, granting expatriates the right to vote for all members of Parliament, "enshrining their stable and definitive constitutional right to choose their representatives in Lebanon."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Manar
7 hours ago
- Al Manar
Iranian FM Visits Martyr Sayyed Nasrallah Shrine: Resistance in Lebanon Will Become Stronger
The Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, who is on an official visit to Lebanon, affirmed that the Resistance in Lebanon will become stronger, adding that the martyrdom of the leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah crowns his heroic journey of Arab and Islamic struggle against the Zionist enemy. Visiting Sayyed Nasrallah Shrine, Araghchi highlighted the influence of the martyr's character and underlined that the Lebanese people and resistance will certainly reach the ultimate victory against the Israeli occupation. Signing his new book 'The Power of Negotiation' in Beirut, Araqchi made several remarks pertaining to the nuclear file. Araqchi indicated that the US-Iranian talks may reach an agreement on the nuclear file, adding that the uranium enrichment is a red line. The Iranian foreign minister also responded to Trump's remarks, stressing that Iran does not take the permission from anyone to enrich uranium. Were the US capable of striking the nuclear facilities in Iran, it would not engage in a negotiation process, Araqchi maintained, highlighting the Iranian military power in this regard.
Nahar Net
7 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Ex-Hezbollah minister reportedly named as president's reconstruction adviser
Former public works and transportation minister Ali Hamie, who was named by Hezbollah to the previous government, has been appointed as President Josep Aoun's adviser for reconstruction affairs, media reports said on Tuesday. The president had told a Hezbollah delegation last week that 'there is no link between (Hezbollah's) weapons and reconstruction, explaining the role of a ministerial committee tasked with preparing a reconstruction study,' sources told Al-Jadeed television. Aoun added that he was seeking to hold an international conference with the participation of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., France and Egypt to rally support for Lebanon's reconstruction process. Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji reportedly told visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday that 'there will be no reconstruction funds without disarming Hezbollah.' Araghchi for his part said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri that Iranian companies are ready to take part in Lebanon's reconstruction if the Lebanese government wants that. Araghchi's visit comes after Iran's main Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, was weakened by a 14-month war with Israel that left much of the Iran-backed group's political and military leadership dead. Araghchi's visit is his first since October, which came at the height of the Israel-Hezbollah war that ended a month later with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The war killed more than 4,000 in Lebanon, displaced over 1 million people and caused destruction that the World Bank said will coast $11 billion in reconstruction.
Nahar Net
7 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Lebanon wants 'state-to-state' relation with Iran, Aoun tells Araghchi
by Naharnet Newsdesk 5 hours President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday told visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that 'Lebanon is looking forward to enhancing state-to-state relations with Iran.' 'Domestic dialogue is the gateway for resolving all the disputed issues, as well as dialogue between nations, away from violence,' Aoun added. 'Reconstructing what was destroyed by the Israeli war on Lebanon is among the priorities we're working on with the government, in cooperation with the brotherly and friendly countries and according to the applicable laws,' the president said. Araghchi for his part expressed his country's support for 'Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the efforts it is exerting to end Israeli occupation.' 'Iran's support for Lebanon falls under the good ties between the two countries and the principle of noninterference in domestic affairs,' Araghchi added. He also voiced Iran's support for 'national dialogue in Lebanon between the various sects, groups and orientations.' Araghchi's visit comes after Iran's main Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, was weakened by a 14-month war with Israel that left much of the Iran-backed group's political and military leadership dead. Araghchi's visit is his first since October, which came at the height of the Israel-Hezbollah war that ended a month later with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The war killed more than 4,000 in Lebanon, displaced over 1 million people and caused destruction that the World Bank said will coast $11 billion in reconstruction. Since the war ended, army commander Joseph Aoun was elected president and prominent jurist and diplomat Nawaf Salam became the country's prime minister. Both Aoun and Salam have repeatedly said that only the state will monopolize the use of weapons in Lebanon. The visit also comes after the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad was removed from power in December by insurgent groups opposed to Iran's influence in the region. Assad was one of Tehran's closest allies in the Arab world and his country was a main link for the flow of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah. Over the past decades, Iran funded Hezbollah with billions of dollars and sent all types of weapons to the Lebanese group enjoying wide influence in the small nation through. Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended, Lebanese authorities have taken tight measures at Beirut's airport to prevent the flow of funds from Iran to Hezbollah and flights by Iranian companies have been suspended to Beirut.
