Sfeir Fears Imbalance Following Decision to Lower Voting Age
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has raised fears of a power imbalance following parliament”s approval of a draft law to lower voting age to 18.
Sfeir on Sunday urged Lebanese leaders to thoroughly examine a decision allowing 18-years-old the right to vote before cabinet approval.
"The issue of voters” age has become a subject of discussion. One has to contemplate the effects of amending the law allowing 18-year-olds the right to vote prior to passing it," Sfeir said during his Sunday sermon.
The daily An Nahar on Monday quoted parliamentary sources as saying that Sfeir”s stance "was not a surprise."
The sources did not rule out that Sfeir”s position will have a direct impact on the issue "whether this government is going to examine the draft law or its successor."
Al Liwa newspaper, for its part, quoted sources in Bkirki as saying that Sfeir”s stand is based on his keenness to keep up the "formula of coexistence" and maintain the balance among the various Lebanese sects in line with the Taef Accord.
The sources said Sfeir”s fear of a power imbalance was not only due to this decision, but from decisions that could follow, such as allowing children to acquire citizenship through their mothers.
One source described such decisions as a "violation of the distribution of balance in equal shares."