Preparations for Lebanon’s 2013 polls finalized

Source: 
The Daily Star
Publication date: 
Dec 28 2012

Preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections have been finalized, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Friday.

“The ministry’s logistical and administrative preparations for holding the elections have been finalized,” he told the Kataeb-run Voice of Lebanon radio station.

Charbel said that the Interior Ministry had also prepared a list of the names for the committee that will oversee the elections and said he would send it to the Cabinet.

Turning to the issue of expatriate voting, Charbel said Lebanese living abroad would get the opportunity to cast their ballots if the Cabinet endorsed electoral draft law is approved by parliamentarians.

However, he said expat voting would not be certain should a different electoral law be agreed upon.

“Expatriates will vote if the present electoral law is approved but this might not be the case if a different law is adopted,” he said.

A subcommittee formed in October to discuss a draft law for the coming elections will resume meetings on Jan. 8 following more than a two-month stalemate.

The subcommittee will be holding extensive meetings to agree on a new electoral for the 2013 parliamentary elections set to be held in June.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Dec-28/200190-preparations-for-lebanons-2013-polls-finalized-charbel.ashx#ixzz2GTvHGHtP