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| Lebanon approves new election law | Lebanon approves new election law |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Lebanese parliament has approved a new election law as part of a reconciliation process begun in May. | The Lebanese parliament has approved a new election law as part of a reconciliation process begun in May. |
| The new law, which alters the boundaries of voting districts, will be used as the basis for parliamentary elections next year. | The new law, which alters the boundaries of voting districts, will be used as the basis for parliamentary elections next year. |
| It is an amended version of a 1960 law under which voting is held in smaller districts known as cazas. | |
| The new law also calls for Lebanese elections to be held on one day, rather than over several days. | The new law also calls for Lebanese elections to be held on one day, rather than over several days. |
| Several proposed reforms were rejected, including a lowering of the voting age to 18 from 21, quotas for women in parliament, and allowing Lebanese citizens living abroad to vote. | Several proposed reforms were rejected, including a lowering of the voting age to 18 from 21, quotas for women in parliament, and allowing Lebanese citizens living abroad to vote. |
| However, reports say the new law gives expatriates the right to vote in elections in 2013. | |
| Key demand | |
| Adoption of the election law is the last element of the Qatari-mediated deal between rival pro- and anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon after prolonged wrangling brought the country to the brink of civil war. | |
| Pro-Syrian group Hezbollah won two key demands in the Doha deal: power of veto in the new unity government and the electoral law change. | |
| The powerful Shia Muslim group wanted the smaller-sized districts as it felt it was underrepresented under the previous system. | |
| A first session of a national dialogue between the rival leaders was held earlier this month, with another scheduled for 5 November. | |
| An aide to parliament speaker Nabih al-Berri said the bill was approved by parliament late on Monday. |