Jumblat”s Shouf List without Khoury, Boustani, Seat for Arslan in Aley
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has settled his Shouf electoral list, stressing allegiance to MP Saad Hariri”s Mustaqbal Movement.
The announcement came following separate meetings Jumblat held overnight with Hariri and Youth and Sports Minister Talal Arslan which followed talks earlier Tuesday with National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun.
In an interview with the daily As Safir published Wednesday, Jumblat said the Shouf list "has been finalized, but regretfully, without representation of my traditional al-Boustani allies."
"This was in the best interest of the March 14 coalition," Jumblat explained.
Local media said the Jumblat-Arslan meeting focused on "crisis management in the mountain area to avoid tension and to strengthen the reconciliation of May 11."
The daily An Nahar, however, said that it is almost certain that election in Aley is going to be head-to-head between the Jumblat-supported March 14″s list and another led by Arslan.
The paper said a seat for the Druze sect in each of the majority and the opposition lists will be left vacant.
In a related event, An Nahar said Jumblat and Arslan have agreed to complete reconciliation in Shweifat, which had witnessed on-again-off-again tension since the killing of Arslan supporter Akram Arbid in 1996.
Al Akhbar newspaper, meanwhile, said Jumblat and Arslan did not tackle the June 7 parliamentary elections during their talks Tuesday evening, saying this was "the prince”s (Arslan”s) wish."
It said Jumblat had earlier sent a message to Arslan informing him of his wish to cut a deal with him over the seats in Aley and Baabda such as Jumblat would leave a vacant seat in Aley for Arslan. In return, Arslan would ensure that there is a seat available for MP Ayman Shqeir in Baabda.
Al Akhbar said the opposition rejected leaving a vacant seat in Baabda for any Jumblat-supported candidate.