Jumblat to Quit Political Activity as Taymour Begins Preparations for Parliamentary Life

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Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said that he will end his political activity at the end of the current parliamentary term as he “is seriously considering not to run for the elections.”

“I will be folding my political page and my voting for a new head of state would be my last,” Jumblat said in an interview with the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He pointed out that his son Taymour is preparing himself to run for the parliamentary elections and running the affairs of al-Mukhtara.

“Everything will be announced in its time,” Jumblat noted.

The Druze leader said that he will remain at the helm of the PSP as his term ends in two years.

“After 37 years in politics I have had a rich experience, which included some black marks, but it's up to history to write it... I will not write my biography... Let others do,” Jumblat said.

He stressed that he “will not run for a parliamentary seat but will continue as a political observer.”

In 2011, Taymour was appointed as a “guiding member” of the party, in a step that would allow him to later run for its leadership council and consequently head the party.

“I am not ashamed... My conscience is at ease,” the PSP leader said.

Concerning the ongoing dispute over the presidency elections among the political arch-foes, Jumblat didn't expect lawmakers to succeed in electing a new head of state during Thursday's parliamentary session.

He believed that the parliamentary session will be similar to its precedents.

The first presidential elections session was held on April 23, but neither Geagea nor Democratic Gathering MP Henri Helou garnered the necessary 86 votes to emerge victorious.

Two other sessions were supposed to be held, but they failed over lack of quorum after a March 8 camp boycott on the ongoing disagreement over a candidate.

Jumblat told the newspaper that he “accepts” vacuum at the helm of the country's top Christian post.

“I can provide either March 8 or 14 coalitions with the majority of votes for their candidates but I can't end the lack of quorum,” the veteran official said.

However, he said that he doesn't want to “be biased to any of the two coalitions,” continuing that he is holding onto his candidate to the presidential elections Henri Helou, who meets all the characteristics of a head of state.

“There is no vacuum but a vacant presidential post until a settlement is reached... We have a cabinet capable of running the country,” Jumblat added.

Jumblat has backed Helou's candidacy, describing him as a “voice of moderation.”

The Aley MP garnered 16 votes during the first round, while 48 lawmakers voted for Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, one for Kataeb party chief ex-President Amin Gemayel and 52 MPs cast blank ballots.

Asked about the repercussions of the Syrian war on Lebanon, Jumblat expected the influence of Damascus and Tehran to grow locally “more than ever.”

“Some Lebanese sides rushed into concluding that the Syrian regime will swiftly fall while others got involved with the regime,” he told Asharq al-Awsat.

“Engagement in the Syrian crisis was a historical and a moral mistake but my aim is to re-target the arms of the resistance against Israel,” Jumblat said.

H.K.

G.K.

Comments 29
Missing karim_ 15 May 2014, 09:40

"“I am not ashamed... My conscience is at ease,” the PSP leader said".

Yes, all those thousands you massacred in cold blood, nothing to be ashamed of. Muhem il conscience tab3oulak.

Missing karim_ 15 May 2014, 10:02

What?

Thumb FlameCatcher 15 May 2014, 12:32

Tell me about your conscience after supporting Hezbollah, the thousands of deaths on their hands and hundreds of terrorist acts !

Your support for Bashar must also clear your conscience with tens of thousands of lebanese deaths and tortures on his hands.

I praise you lebanese goldfish citizens which can only recall 3 seconds of their pasts and are blind to the predators they support !

Thumb popeye 15 May 2014, 13:30

I await the day when I will read ONE meaningful post, ONE counter argument, ONE credible or mature info from you, -...flamethrower...- , but alas!

Missing peace 16 May 2014, 00:42

conscience? LOL how can an empty brain have a conscience... FT has nowhere to put it... that is why they believe damascus is the capital of Lebanon! LOL

Default-user-icon Kazan (Guest) 15 May 2014, 09:53

Is it strange to wonder or to ask why in this country some families have the exclusive right to capture key positions in the government and to pass them from father to son,daughter or wife?
Are we confirming that the rest of the population is second class citizen?

Missing peace 15 May 2014, 16:52

oh and FT the slimy worm also forgot on purpose his aoun lover and all his family that he placed at key posts! LOL

FPM is as feudal as the others ya hypocrit FPMer....

Default-user-icon Ruckku (Guest) 17 January 2015, 03:20

What others are doing covertly he is doing openly

Thumb ex-fpm 15 May 2014, 10:04

Jumblatt will never quits politics same as all other warlords and politicians. He will be pulling the strings behind his son and the PSP. He will remain the Druze leader until the moment he dies.

Default-user-icon Disgusted (Guest) 15 May 2014, 11:09

Just like many others in this sorry assed zip code... Gemayel, Frangieh and countless others from various religious sects... Democracy my A...

Thumb thepatriot 15 May 2014, 16:02

FT forgot to mention Aoun's son in outlaw...

Missing peace 15 May 2014, 16:53

it is only called NEPOTISM ya slimy worm! and the result is the same... so cut your HYPOCRISY idiot FPMer...

Default-user-icon family tree (Guest) 15 May 2014, 17:44

"who cares about forming a cabinet la 3youn gebran
" yup FT it's consensual, like rape.

Instead of fighting corruption with the new way politics Aoun preached about in 2005 when he launched his party he just honed the old corrupt wasteful system streamlining it into an efficient keeping it strictly in within the family distribution of ill-gotten gains.
The no nepotism and no promised elections FPM just a few names

Alain AOUN nephew
Naiim AOUN nephew
Gaby Layoun married to Aoun's niece
Roy Hachem son in law OTV GM
Aoun's ministers handing over public money ie government contrast without tender to Clémentine advertisement agency owned by Aoun's daughters Claudine, Mireille and Chantal
Gebran la 3youno..

Thumb ex-fpm 15 May 2014, 17:58

I see, that is why Aoun delayed the government formation in several cabinets insisting on Bassil's appointment as Minister. That is called consensual government decision.... shameless !

Missing peace 15 May 2014, 19:29

sure putting up his whole family at key posts within the party is not nepotism for the IDIOT FT...

for him they were placed in the party "through consensual gvt decision". what a jerk he is and not even aware of it! which proves his stupidity! LOL

Thumb popeye 15 May 2014, 19:59

flamethrower is prepping his son to take over his posting duties on naharnet:)

Missing peace 15 May 2014, 21:14

poor FT.... deflecting the subject to escape his stupidity... i am talking about the feudal political class not parliamentary or gvt elections ya habeel...to show your hypocrisy that aoun does applies the exact same feudal rules !
"no harm in having a relative in politics (marion and marine le pen?) and it's worlds away from prepping up your son/daughter for political life"

you are talking about placing one's family in politics then you deflect the issue because as usual you are caught in your idiocy... but ma3leh, idiots are idiots...

Missing peace 15 May 2014, 11:15

shameful poilitcal lebanese life where politics is a family business ... with the full approval of the citizens....

Default-user-icon hanoun (Guest) 15 May 2014, 11:40

and the medal you ll be receiving and put on your chest MR joumblat will be written on it
el jinss el 3atel
god bless democracy

Thumb FlameCatcher 15 May 2014, 11:58

Thank god the Lebanese are blessed with Aoun and Geagea not having sons !

It's time for both to retire too !

Missing un520 15 May 2014, 12:14

Only death will end politicians work in Lebanon. Hizbollah has realized this, and deals with it accordingly...

Thumb EagleDawn 15 May 2014, 13:41

well said

Default-user-icon le phenicien (Guest) 15 May 2014, 14:20

LF have only one chouf MP. Flamethrower please refrain from any further attempts at sounding clever it does not suit and it embarrasses human evolution. Amen.

Default-user-icon le phenicien (Guest) 15 May 2014, 15:30

Flamethrower MPs is plural, more than one, do I need to expain everything to you.?

Thumb missorange 16 May 2014, 03:41

Not trues my sweety FT, GMA and OTV in 2009 said the el General returned the right to the Christians. BTW your boyfriend wolf is on another page having a tamper tantrum something about "Sethrida" stealing you from him.

Thumb EagleDawn 15 May 2014, 14:20

lol just lol

Thumb Chupachups 15 May 2014, 16:35

Good boy, keep following m8 then

Thumb popeye 15 May 2014, 20:00

are you thinking of retiring anytime soon....hint hint

Default-user-icon Hrasto Fondablu (Guest) 15 May 2014, 21:19

What these low life scum bags should do before anything else is leave us alone and stop robbing the coffers.