Civil Campaign for Electoral Reform (CCER)

Lebanon might find the key to a more stable democracy and peaceful society in a draft law on electoral reforms. At least that is the hope of democracy advocates in Lebanon, including the Civil Campaign for Electoral Reform (CCER). The CCER is a coalition of NGOs led by the Lebanese Transparency Association, the Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS) and the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE). The group aims to transform electoral culture in Lebanon in order to promote a more open political system and society. One of the group’s leaders, Oussama Safa, noted, “If the electoral law was passed, sectarianism would start to become irrelevant and it would sow the seeds for changing elections into a truly political exercise.”

The law was first published in June 2006, but parliamentary debate on the draft was derailed by the war between Israel and Hezbollah in July of the same year. Now the CCER is working hard to engage the public in pressuring the cabinet and parliament to discuss the law. The draft law encompasses eight major changes to the electoral law. Proposed changes include a 30% quota for women representatives, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18, establishing an independent oversight body, and changing the electoral system so that 51 seats are distributed through proportional representation and 77 seats would be chosen by a simple majority vote.

To gain support for the draft law, the CCER is using a variety of creative media and communication techniques to raise awareness about the proposed changes to the law and the benefits it would provide if passed. The CCER is using advertisements on television and in the print media, as well as on billboards, to spread the message that “the new electoral law is the best cure for healthier representation in parliament.” The CCER website also features a draft law elections simulator that allows users to view demographic maps of electoral districts and test various election scenarios.

The CCER is also working to recruit citizens to become directly involved in the legislative process. The website encourages citizens to write letters to their MPs and to government ministers. In conjunction with local groups, the CCER is holding a series of “town hall” style meetings to discuss the proposed law.

The CCER does not expect the whole draft law to be accepted. But even if some of the reforms are implemented, it would create a new dynamic in Lebanese politics. Of the reforms, CCER co-founder Walid Fakhreddine said, “Political life would be healthier because political leaders could not monopolize their sects any more.”

To find out more about the Civil Campaign for Electoral Reform, visit their site at:

http://www.ccerlebanon.org