Free Patriotic Movement leader, MP Gebran Bassil, on Tuesday confirmed during the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc’s weekly meeting that holding legislative elections on time was a must and should no longer be negotiable. 

"Nothing justifies any failure to hold elections on time, but this does not mean amending the law to hold elections before the set date,” Bassil added. 

“We reject substantive amendments to the electoral law, but we have no objection against introducing procedural amendments to it. We had basically submitted the 2018 draft law with more than one amendment, which we had demanded be followed up on before the law was passed,” Bassil explained. 

Moreover, he expressed fear that under the pretext of making simple amendments, the law would be manipulated in a way that tampers with the outcome of elections.

Regarding the Lebanese expatriates’ right to vote, Bassil insisted that the 14 million of them must feel that they are citizens with full rights. 

“After years of struggle, we have given Lebanese expatriates some citizenship rights,” Bassil added, insisting on consolidating expatriate electoral rights as well.