Lebanon approves reformed electoral system, paving the way for first general election since 2009

The Lebanese Cabinet has approved a new elections law and referred it to parliament for ratification, paving the way for parliamentary elections postponed twice over the past year.

During Wednesday's government meeting that approved the new law, the term of the current parliament was extended 11 months until May 6, 2018 when the vote is scheduled.

The current parliament was elected to a four-year term in 2009, but its tenure has been extended twice over security concerns and a civil war in neighbouring Syria that spilled into Lebanon on several occasions.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri praised the new elections law as a "historic achievement."

The agreement came days before the legislature's term was to end on June 20 — avoiding sending the country into a fresh political crisis.

Recent disputes over an election law that is at the heart of the nation's sectarian political system had pushed Lebanon to the brink of crisis, threatening to leave it without a parliament for the first time, according to Reuters.

The new law will create a proportional representation system for parliament and alter the number of districts from which lawmakers are elected, among other changes.

"Today, cabinet approved the law ... with an extension of parliament's term by 11 months for technical reasons" to prepare for the polls under the new law, Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said. Parliament, which is set to meet on Friday, must now also approve the law.

Lebanon's rival parties agreed this week on the draft electoral law after months of political wrangling, paving the way for the first elections in eight years.

Most political parties had rejected holding new legislative elections based on the existing system, a sectarian-based law that dates back to 1960. 

The new law however did not include a quota for women, drawing immediate criticism from women's rights groups in the country.