Qifa Nabki
Reform
The Myth of Christian Under-Representation
There’s a lot of great stuff to read about the ongoing electoral law debate in Lebanon. Some of the most relevant stuff is below: Karl Sharro made a lot of the same points I did in my last post, except he made them a week ago. Mustapha at Beirut Spring weighs in on the debate … Continue reading
Could the Orthodox Law Be a Boon for Lebanon’s Liberals?
The electoral law being championed by Lebanon’s Christian parties — also known as the Ferzli law, the Orthodox law, the Orthodox-Maronite Gathering law, or as we like to call it here at Qifa Nabki, the “OMG law” — is the most backward, sectarian, reactionary, bloody-minded proposal to come out of a legislative committee in a very … Continue reading
Be Sure To Check Out Beirut Design Week
If you are in Beirut at the moment, be sure not to miss the chance to check out the various talks, conferences, films, exhibitions, and workshops connected with Beirut Design Week. The quality of some of the projects is really stellar. You can find the program here. I was thinking recently that I have moments … Continue reading
Clientelism, Vote Buying, and Ballot Reform in Lebanon
We’re a year away from the next Lebanese parliamentary elections, and there has been no final agreement on the proposed reforms for the next electoral law. Proportional representation seems to be dead in the water. Expatriate voting in overseas embassies may also be a pipe dream at this late stage, and the same goes for … Continue reading
March in Support of Proportional Representation
I got an email about a planned march in support of proportional representation (PR), which will take place in Beirut on May 13. In a way, conditions are ripe these days for Lebanese civil society groups to push their agenda for electoral reform because: (a) the issue is front and center again, and (b) because … Continue reading
And the people say…