Jumblat Holds Onto 9-9-6 Formula, Won't Give Cover to De Facto Cabinet
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat reiterated that he was holding onto the formation of an all-embracing cabinet in which each of the rival camps would get nine ministers and centrists six.
“I am holding onto my stance in forming a consensual government based on the 9-9-6 formula,” Jumblat, a centrist, told As Safir daily published on Monday.
“I don't want to go into more details now,” he said.
Jumblat's comments came after he held talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace on Saturday.
He described the talks as “good,” saying discussions focused on several issues, mainly the cabinet deadlock.
As Safir said that the PSP chief, who is also the head of the National Struggle Front bloc, told Suleiman that the nation's interest lies in forming the all-embracing cabinet in coordination with Hizbullah and Speaker Nabih Berri.
The daily quoted him as saying that the lawmakers of his bloc would not give their vote of confidence to any fait accompli cabinet whether it was made up of neutral personalities or not.
“I will not give political cover to it,” Jumblat reportedly said.
Recent reports have said that Suleiman and Premier-designate Tammam Salam were seeking to form a de facto government.
Salam was appointed in April but he has accused the March 8 and 14 alliances of blocking the formation of his cabinet over the conditions that they have set.
16 December 2013, 08:37
46
Dear Flamethrower..... We celebrate Christmas on 25th of December, why you Shias and Alawis celebrate it on the 26th? What's your take on this one?
16 December 2013, 08:59
45
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love Flamethrower sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
16 December 2013, 07:38
55
junblat can rule by himself... he sold his soul 2 the devil 3 years ago.
keep doing u job waleed.... u r good at it, u've almost finished off lebanon w/ ur terroritas allies who will bite u in the back anytime they can.
16 December 2013, 14:53
21
Why are we back to square One again? Why did the M8 cabinet resign only to have both M sides to dictate conditions again? Maybe Mr. Jumblatt is trying to help with ideas, but fact remains, the divide caused by the two Ms is so profound that Lebanon can never aspire to any real or meaningful changes. Mr. Salam, the PM designate should have been left to form a cabinet of technocrats, far from the influence of either M8 or M14. Mr. Salam is known for his seriousness, correctness and his capacity to help bring about the changes we need, but he should be given the room he needs to work. Right now any formula that is tabled will just mark more failures to a system that can take no more. We all need a clean break, one well away from the routine of old, here we are, with a real opportunity from the election of Mr Salam months ago, and to prove my point, the country bounced back in no time. Now it's all gone back to square One, thanks to that same old complete lack of trust between the two Ms.
