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Electoral law represents “glass half full”
Lebanon”s new election law represents "a glass half full," Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud said Tuesday, stressing the need for an enhanced civil society and media partnership to enact additional electoral reforms. "We hope that the 7th of June will bring the building of partnerships not of differences," he said, referring to the date of Lebanon”s pivotal parliamentary elections.
The interior minister spoke alongside Information Minister Tarek Mitri and a collection of press and civil society representatives at a conference, held at the Phoenicia Intercontinental, aimed at exploring the need and potential for further electoral reform.
Baroud, a former civil society reformer and member of the National Commission on Electoral Law (known as the Boutros Commission), noted that civil society organizations had given voice to the wants and demands of the Lebanese people.
For his part, Mitri called the changes represented in the law "precious," adding that he had faith that both the media and civil society had "the will to try liberty, freedom, independence and sovereignty."
He also stressed the importance of abiding by the law and working toward additional reforms. "Ahead of the elections, you all know that some politicians in Lebanon become salesmen of illusions," he said.
"This law makes us all witnesses, witnesses to the violations that are being committed."
Much of the conference, organized by the Civil Campaign for Electoral Reform and the National News Agency, was devoted to the role the media played in facilitating political reform.
Following an instructive discussion of Mexico”s democratic evolution and experience, presided over by Mexican Ambassador Jorge Alvarez Fuentes, panelists mediated several lively discussions on the proper role of neutrality and objectivity in the Lebanese media.
The conference concluded with a series of recommendations, including the possibility of expanding the sanctioning power of the Supervisory Commission on the Electoral Campaign, the need for a firm distinction between hard news and editorials and the potential for a 72 hour media blackout before the polls.