Naharnet - Voting Age Bill Will Not Pass In Parliament

A draft law to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 will not receive a two-thirds majority during Monday's parliamentary session since a large number of lawmakers will not vote in favor of the amendment.
Local media on Monday said a majority of 86 votes will not be secured with major parliamentary blocs such as PM Saad Hariri's Mustaqbal Movement, Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, The Lebanese Forces headed by Samir Geagea and Amin Gemayel's Phalange Party refraining from voting.
They said the bill will be dropped not because of lack of quorum, but due to a large number of MPs who will refrain from voting.
Hariri as well as Christian political parties from both the majority and the opposition call for linking the draft law with other proposals --giving Lebanese expatriates the right to vote and allowing Lebanese citizenship by descent.
Those who will vote include Walid Jumblat's Democratic Gathering bloc, Hizbullah's Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, Speaker Nabih Berri's Development and Liberation bloc as well as MPs from the Syrian Social National Party and the Baath Party.