Douaihy announces withdrawal from Change bloc

MP Michel Douaihy on Tuesday announced his withdrawal from the reformist, 13-member Change bloc, citing disagreements within the nascent grouping of MPs.

“I’m permanently outside the 13-member Change bloc in its current format. I support turning the bloc into a monthly (or according to need) consultative gathering, while granting a margin of freedom to all MPs in all issues,” Douaihy tweeted.

“What happened since the May 31 session and the bloc’s experience in specific must come to an end out of respect for the Lebanese and for the people who elected us and out of respect for politics,” the MP added.

“Normally, we will remain friends and we will communicate and cooperate, but to me a phase has ended,” Douaihy went on to say.

His announcement came after a parliamentary session in which the differences of the Change MPs made them lose several key positions in the elections of the parliamentary committees.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper, the rift over the invitation to the dinner hosted by the Swiss ambassador has expedited the bloc’s implosion, amid expectations that it will split into two or three smaller blocs.

The daily said that nine MPs – Waddah al-Sadek, Mark Daou, Najat Saliba, Elias Jradeh, Paula Yacoubian, Michel Douaihy, Yassine Yassine, Rami Fanj and Melhem Khalaf – are in favor of majoritarian voting in taking the bloc’s decisions, whereas four MPs – Halima Qaaqour, Ibrahim Mneimneh, Firas Hamdan and Cynthia Zarazir – support consensus in taking the decisions.

Al-Akhbar added that Douaihy might choose to remain outside both splinter groups, which would lead to an “8-4-1 format.”