Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Taymour Jumblat: Nobody Can Marginalize Us, With or Without Elections | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55368649
Caption:

Druze Sheikh Aql, Naeem Hassan, on Tuesday welcomed at the Druze House in Verdun Taymour Walid Jumblat (NNA)


Beirut – Taymour Jumblat, the son of Progressive Socialist Party Leader MP Walid Jumblat, is preparing to run for the upcoming parliamentary elections, topping a list of “veterans” and new young figures, as he says.

The son of the Lebanese Druze leader asserts that he is ready to launch a new phase of political work, following two “preparatory” years in the social arena, upon his father’s wish.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Taymour confessed that his new endeavor was not an easy task, stressing however that he had confidence in his team’s competence and that he would always seek the support of his “great teacher”, Walid Jumblat.

Taymour, who says “hates politics”, finds himself forced to engage strongly in the Lebanese political life, to continue the path of his father.

“Perhaps because I hate politics I can achieve more, seeing what politics lovers did to our country,” he said.

He added that political inheritance was not a characteristic of an ideal democratic practice, noting however that the Lebanese system entails that every confessional leader should look after his confession and protect it against challenges facing the country and the Arab region.

“We live in Lebanon, where the situation is worsening day after day and we must minimize the losses,” Taymour said.

“We are not the only party where the father hands over [the leadership] to his son – the majority of parties in the political arena do the same,” he noted, adding: “We do what we have to do to lead the country amidst the great challenges facing it.”

“To those who criticize [political] inheritance, we say: people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he stated.

Taymour said that holding the parliamentary elections was not a choice but an inevitable constitutional obligation.

He noted in this regard that no political party was seeking parliament’s term extension or political vacuum.

Asked about his recent comments, in which he said that nobody could marginalize the Druze religion, the PSP official said: “There are many people attacking us… I wanted to send a simple message, telling them that with or without the elections, and whatever electoral law is adopted, whether it was based on the majority, proportional or hybrid system, we will be always present, and nobody can eliminate us.”

On the PSP’s rejection to an electoral law based on the proportional system, Taymour said: “The proportional law would shrivel our size, and I believe that no other party would accept to minimize its representation.”

“We are a small confession and a small party that is mainly based in the Chouf and the Mountain; we have to defend our own rights,” he added.

Asked about his electoral program, the rising politician said he had a comprehensive program, adding that he would rather not disclose further details “due to the ambiguity surrounding the elections date and the electoral law.”

He noted however that his program was “ambitious and modern”.

“My general policy would be similar to that of my father, but I will be focusing on the youth to enable them to develop and achieve their hope to build a strong state,” he stated.

Asked about his favorite hobbies, Taymour said he was into poetry, noting that he had written poems in French and English.

“Now I begin to delve more into the Arabic language,” he added.