MP Michel Douaihy on Tuesday announced his withdrawal from the reformist, 13-member Change bloc, citing disagreements within the nascent grouping of MPs.

“I’m permanently outside the 13-member Change bloc in its current format. I support turning the bloc into a monthly (or according to need) consultative gathering, while granting a margin of freedom to all MPs in all issues,” Douaihy tweeted.

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday told a delegation from French oil giant TotalEnergies that exploration for gas in Lebanon’s offshort Block 9 “should start quickly to make up for the time that was lost during the indirect negotiations for the demarcation of the southern maritime border.”

According to the state-run National News Agency, the delegation briefed Aoun on the procedural and administrative preparations that TotalEnergies is carrying out in Lebanon ahead of the start of exploration in Block 9.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday accused the Change MPs of breaking an agreement for consensus in the elections of parliamentary committees, as the Change lawmakers lost several key seats.

The National News Agency said the structure of most parliamentary committees remained unchanged, except for a few members.

President Michel Aoun noted Tuesday that “those who contributed to ruining Lebanon cannot be able to rescue it.”

“And those who put obstacles in the way of combating corruption and achieving reform cannot be trusted in the phase of reviving the country. Accordingly, the change that the Lebanese aspire for must be realized,” the President added.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said Tuesday that “working in silence” is better, when asked about the cabinet formation developments.

“We have nothing to say and working in silence is better,” Mikati told al-Jadeed television.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Monday saluted President Michel Aoun for “his persistence in the sea border demarcation process between Lebanon and Israel” and for “his keenness on the unity of decision with each of the parliament speaker and the prime minister.”

The Swiss embassy in Lebanon on Monday announced the postponement of a dinner that was supposed to bring together Lebanon’s main political parties, after unconfirmed media reports about the event stirred political controversy in the country.

“Switzerland has been actively engaged in Lebanon for many years including in conflict prevention and peace promotion. Over the last couple of months, Switzerland, in collaboration with the Swiss based organization Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, was in contact with the full spectrum of political Lebanese as well as regional and international actors to prepare for consultative discussions, not for a dialogue conference,” the embassy said in a statement.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari held talks Monday with President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace.

The Presidency said the talks tackled the Lebanese-Saudi relations and means to develop them in the various fields, as well as the kingdom’s support for Lebanon, especially at the social and humanitarian levels, in addition to the general situations and latest developments.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil arrived Monday in Ain el-Tineh, with a delegation from the Strong Lebanon bloc, to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri, in the presence of some of Amal's MPs.

"Electing a new president is only possible through dialogue," Bassil said after the meeting. "The dialogue does not mean we no longer have political differences," he added.

The Lebanese Forces party has said that it will not attend a dinner banquet that will be held Tuesday between Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon Marion Weichelt Krupski and representatives of the Lebanese political parties.

Al-Jadeed TV had reported that the meeting is aimed at preparing for a dialogue conference that will be held in Geneva, noting that the conference will involve several “official sessions.”