Jumblat Plays Down Reports of Imminent Parliamentary Resignation

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Saturday poured cold water on reports claiming that his resignation from parliament has become imminent.

“I will resign from my parliamentary post at the appropriate time,” Jumblat announced on his Twitter account.

Earlier on Saturday, LBCI television quoted sources close to the PSP as saying that Jumblat was likely to announce his resignation on Sunday “during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the death of party member Sami Marroush.”

The sources said Jumblat was expected to cede the parliamentary seat to his son Taimur.

Also on Saturday evening, MTV aired a report about a possible resignation by MP Suleiman Franjieh in favor of his son Tony.

It quoted sources close to Franjieh as saying that he would not submit his resignation “unless there is a decision to hold a by-election.”

“If Jumblat resigns, it will mean that he received guarantees that the by-election will be held and only then Franjieh would submit his resignation,” the sources said.

The TV network said Speaker Nabih Berri “is currently rejecting the idea of Jumblat's resignation, and so is Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, who prefers not to enter into the hassle of elections at the moment.”

Y.R.