Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc Thursday renewed calls for Cabinet that is formed quickly and represents all of Lebanon’s political factions.
In a statement following the bloc’s weekly meeting, MP Hasan Fadlallah said that “prominent political factions in the country should show their keenness on national partnership by taking into consideration the importance of expanding representation in the government.”
The formation of the government has been stalled due to disputes over the distribution of ministerial portfolios, with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri contending with overlapping demands of various political factions.
However, Hariri said on Monday that work to form a new Cabinet is underway.
Fadlallah added, "We do not see any justification in delaying [the formation of the new government] particularly in that the remaining obstacles can be resolved."
The new government should prioritize the endorsement of a proportional electoral law, with Lebanon considered a single electoral constituency, he continued.
"We condemn the procrastination in ratifying the new law as if the Lebanese people were meant to be frustrated, and its will to refuse the extension of the parliamentary term and the 1960 electoral law were purposefully overlooked," Fadlallah added.
"Passing it [the 1960 law] will block all properly-founded efforts for the state's revival and reconstruction projects."
Al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted on Thursday caretaker Agriculture Minister Akram Chehayeb as saying that if no agreement were reached then the Progressive Socialist Party "agrees to holding elections on time, even if based on the 1960 law.”
Chehayeb's statement echoed caretaker Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk who seemed to be in favor of the 1960 law.
It stipulates a division of small-sized electoral constituencies based on Lebanon’s qadas, or provincial districts.
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