Jumblat, Miqati and Allies Deal Blow to June 8 Session

Head of the National Struggle Front bloc Walid Jumblat reportedly opposes a planned parliamentary session aimed at renewing the mandate of the Central Bank governor and might boycott the meeting on June 8.

Jumblat’s sources told As Safir daily on Thursday that the Druze leader prefers to resort to a “mobile draft-law” to renew Riyad Salameh’s mandate rather than holding a session amid the absence of a government.

According to al-Liwaa newspaper, Jumblat is setting the stage for “leaving his new position within the March 8 forces and form a coalition with President (Michel Suleiman) and (PM-designate Najib) Miqati.”

The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party might boycott the session along with Miqati.

An Nahar daily also said that members of Jumblat’s bloc, Miqati and his allies in Tripoli Mohammed Safadi and Ahmed Karami have decided not to attend the June 8 session over fears that it would increase the divide among the different parties.

Such a move would be a blow to Berri’s efforts and won’t guarantee a quorum. But the speaker has insisted that he would keep calling for sessions until quorum is achieved.

According to An Nahar, March 8 and 14 leaders were seeking to resort to a centrist approach rather than holding a parliamentary session or adopting the so-called mobile draft-law which lies on referring the decree to several ministers for signature.

The approach would be based on a decision by Berri to task the caretaker cabinet to take the necessary measures to renew Salameh’s mandate. But both sides failed to reach a deal on the issue, An Nahar said.