Jumblat”s Stances Not Blow against Coalition
MP Marwan Hamadeh said Monday that he had been in the picture that Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has a trend toward independence from the ruling March 14 coalition.
"What is happening is an interpretation of the party”s independence, and does not mean a blow against the majority which PM-designate Saad Hariri enjoys," Hamadeh told LBC TV.
Political sources have expressed fear that Jumblat”s announcement of terminating his alliance with March 14 forces could lead to repercussions and a standstill over Cabinet formation.
An Nahar daily on Monday quoted officials as speaking of a major setback, raising the possibility that some Opposition forces could use Jumblat”s remarks to challenge the continuation of the majority”s cover for Hariri in his mission.
They argued that Jumblat”s 11-strong parliamentary bloc could decrease the number of the majority from 71 to 60 in the event that the Druze leader officially decided to walk out of the March 14 alliance.
This could lead to the emergence of "different reality" than that consolidated by parliamentary elections "even if the majority still beat the Opposition which has 57 deputies," An Nahar said.
It quoted sources close to Jumblat as confirming that the PSP leader will not quit March 14 forces, adding that the number of majority MPs will remain the same.
The sources denied that the Jumblat was going to withdraw his 11 MPs from the ruling majority.
"This is something out of the question," one source told An Nahar.