Lebanese opposition had 55 percent of the votes and still lost!
Despite losing the elections due to the non-proportionate electoral system, the Lebanese opposition won the popular vote by a large margin. From 1495000 votes casted 815000 voted for the opposition while only 680000 voted for the government parties of the 14 march coalition in a difference of almost 10 percent in favor of the opposition.
Within the same frame, progressive Arab Nationalist candidates gathered in total 140258 votes out of the total of 1495000 votes casted in the Lebanese elections. this is equal to 9.38 percent of the votes and had the system been a proportional system this would account for 12 seats in parliament, now they have won none.
Changing the election law into a proportional one is the only way forward in Lebanon and should be the priority for the coming 4 years.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:53 am
[…] has won only 57 out of 128 seats in parliament despite receiving 55% of the votes. As Dyab Abou Jahjah writes: ‘Despite losing the elections due to the non-proportionate electoral system, the […]