Jumblat Holds onto Miqati but Does Not Reject Nomination of Bahia Hariri or Tabbara

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has informed the March 8 forces that he continued to hold onto the nomination of Najib Miqati as premier-designate, informed sources said.

The sources told al-Liwaa newspaper that Jumblat told members of the new parliamentary majority that Miqati should remain prime minister-designate because no alternative is ready but stressed that he might accept the nomination of MP Bahia Hariri or former lawmaker Bahij Tabbara.

The PSP chief’s stance came after Tawhid movement leader Wiam Wahhab said he discussed with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun legal ways to end Miqati’s nomination.

Ad-Diyar daily on Tuesday quoted parliamentary majority sources as saying that the withdrawal of the nomination would collide with Jumblat’s stance who rejects such a move.

In addition to him, Caretaker Minister Mohammed Safadi and MP Ahmed Karami would not approve to end Miqati’s nomination, they said.

Meanwhile, Jumblat renewed his call for the swift formation of the cabinet, warning that Lebanon was facing “major dangers” and urging the March 8 forces to break the nearly four-month-long deadlock.

“A new government should be formed as soon as possible in order for it to follow up on the regional developments and Special Tribunal for Lebanon,” he stressed.

“Forming a new government is one of the best ways to confront the negative repercussions of the STL,” Jumblat added.

His stance came in an article published in PSP’s weekly newspaper al-Anbaa Tuesday.