Date: Apr 18, 2017
Source: The Daily Star
International Support Group for Lebanon urges greater efforts for new vote law
BEIRUT: The International Support Group for Lebanon Tuesday urged leaders in Lebanon to agree on a new vote law in time for the May 15 Parliament session, following President Michel Aoun's postponement.

"In the spirit of sustaining progress, the ISG members encourage Lebanon’s leaders to make maximum use of the resulting time frame to intensify their efforts to arrive at an agreed electoral framework for free and fair elections, in accordance with the Constitution," the statement read.

It called for timely elections to "preserve Lebanon’s democratic process," urging political leaders to come to a swift agreement through political consultations.

The group was established in 2013 to help Lebanon’s state institutions and military deal with the massive influx of Syrian refugees, as well security incidents linked to the Syrian war.

The ISGL brings together the governments of China, France, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union and the Arab League.

Aoun last week postponed a Parliament session that was expected to extend their term for another year, demanding political parties to agree on a new electoral law by May 15.

Politicians are scrambling to agree on a new vote law in time for the postponed meeting.