Jumblat: Druze Community Refuses Marginalization

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat was up in arms recently protesting the cabinet's performance and what he believes is “marginalization” of the Druze community, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

The Druze leader's stance stance was evident in a series of tweets in which he protested, what sources close to him described as, “tendency to marginalize,” them.

“In light of this disposition to marginalize us, Jumblat has no choice but to engage in a fierce challenge to deter these attempts,” sources close to Jumblat were quoted as saying. They were referring to the debate over a new electoral law and suggestions to adopt the proportional representation law which Jumblat strongly disagrees with, according to the daily.

It is clear that Jumblat is ready for the challenge, said the daily, and has expressed resentment in a series of tweets with the stances of some ministers, without naming them, and government decisions the most recent were the oil and gas decrees.

On his position as for the latest developments on stipulating a new election law for the parliamentary elections, Jumblat told the daily: “Let everyone know that I refuse to consider a major faction in Lebanon secondary...I will not abandon this faction and I am always ready for consultations.”

The Druze leader, concluded: “Enough outbidding and side talks. Each party is doing what suits it best, as if it is the only community being. They act as if the Druze community does not exist. We will not accept that.”

In light of efforts to agree on a new election law for the parliamentary elections scheduled for May, some politicians have been encouraging for the adoption of proportional representation, which the PSP leader strongly rejects.

Hizbullah has repeatedly called for an electoral law based on proportional representation but other political parties, especially al-Mustaqbal Movement, have rejected the proposal and argued that the party's controversial arsenal of arms would prevent serious competition in regions where the Iran-backed party is influential.

Mustaqbal, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party have meanwhile proposed a hybrid electoral law that mixes the proportional representation and the winner-takes-all systems. Speaker Nabih Berri has also proposed a hybrid law.

The country has not voted for a parliament since 2009, with the legislature instead twice extending its own mandate.

The 2009 polls were held under an amended version of the 1960 electoral law and the next elections are scheduled for May 2017.