Formation of a Senate Could be Part of Berri”s Proposal
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has said Speaker Nabih Berri most probably had in mind the formation of a senate when he proposed abolishing confessionalism in politics.
"Part of Speaker Berri”s proposal could have been the formation of the senate that represents all sects equally and serves the interests of confessions and religions," Jumblat told al-Jazeera satellite TV network on Monday.
"There would be a non-confessional parliament" in case the senate was formed, the PSP leader said in response to a question about the obsessions of Christians on Berri”s proposal.
He said his father Kamal Jumblat tried for 25 years to abolish sectarianism in politics. But he failed because confessional forces and cultural and religious interests are more powerful than civil society in Lebanon.
Jumblat the father also failed because he faced the obstacle of the Arab world which is based on religious and sectarian regimes, the MP told al-Jazeera.
"The Arab and Islamic worlds did not evolve. The West evolved hundreds of years ago after wars, cultural revolutions and uprisings until religion was separated from the state," the Druze leader said.
"Although our system calls for equality among all, in reality there is distinction between sects dividing the Lebanese between first class and second class" citizens, Jumblat said in response to a question.