BEIRUT: Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil Tuesday proposed an urgent draft decree to extend the deadline for expatriates to vote in upcoming elections, local media reported.

Previously speaking about his desire to extend the window for expatriates to register until Feb. 15, 2018, Bassil said in December that it was “due to the desire of tens of thousands of [expats] to register.” He urged “politicians to support this extension in order to encourage the Lebanese diaspora to participate in the political life of their homeland.”

Over 90,000 expatriates reportedly registered before the Nov. 20 deadline came to a close.

In October, the Foreign Ministry launched the first website for eligible overseas voters to register for parliamentary elections. The upcoming polling is set for May 6, 2018.

The Lebanese diaspora has long been unable to vote from abroad.

Under the new electoral law, the Foreign Ministry will designate overseas polling stations, the location of which will be agreed at a later time. Overseas ballots will be cast between April 22 and 27.

However, the new mechanism has drawn the ire of some Lebanese residents, who have expressed frustrations that Lebanese citizens abroad will be able to vote but are not required to pay taxes.