The general conference of the Progressive Socialist Party, dedicated to electing a party president and a new leadership council, is being held today. This comes after the resignation of party leader Walid Jumblatt, marking a democratic milestone in the ongoing journey of the Progressive Socialist Party.
In this context, the deputy party leader and lawyer, Doureid Yaghi, emphasized the importance of this event, considering it a democratic approach they believe in to continue their journey. He noted that when they firmly and wholeheartedly believe in their party, the battle becomes a duty to fulfill the plan of building a future that protects humanity and defends the oppressed, deprived, and tortured.
This article was originally published in, translated from online newspaper "Al Anbaa."In an interview with the online newspaper "Al-Anbaa," Yaghi highlighted the belief in evolution and the importance of power-sharing, especially considering the party's solid base, large and diverse supporters, and loyal activists who have overcome the most challenging phases.
"While we are transitioning to a phase of youth leadership, we still have a responsibility to help each of them embrace this ideology and believe in it," he added.
However, regarding the presence of women in advanced positions within the party, Yaghi reminded that the party's constitution stipulates gender equality and non-discrimination because women constitute half of society. It is essential to have female participation, as they believe in the party's unity, and all members have the opportunity to contribute fully. He stressed that the story is comprehensive, and responsibility cannot be separated from positions within the party.
Moreover, reflecting on his experience as the deputy leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Yaghi considered it challenging to summarize that eventful period of positions and achievements. He mentioned his association with the late Kamal Jumblatt, describing him as a brave, intelligent, and educated leader who stood out among others on the national and international levels. He mentioned that his assassination was a strong strike and a significant loss. Yaghi highlighted Jumblatt's accomplishments and his ability to provide answers to every question, despite the difficulties they faced.
In the political context, following the conclusion of French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian's visit, Adib Abdelmasih, a member of the Renewal Bloc, referred to Le Drian's willingness to listen to their concerns and ask probing questions. He noted a shift in the French stance, particularly regarding their support for the leader of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, and the emergence of reasonable solutions, describing the recent period as a series of challenges.
After a two-hour meeting with Le Drian, Abdelmasih confirmed that they are starting to reject all previous candidates, including Sleiman Frangieh, noting that the bloc told Le Drian that if they had been operating like Hezbollah, they should have nominated the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, in response to Hezbollah's adherence to Frangieh as the head of the largest Christian bloc.
However, they compromised and nominated MP Michel Moawad because his father was President René Moawad, the martyr of Taif, but the Amal-Hezbollah duo considered him a challenging candidate.
"After 11 sessions of obstructing the quorum, they began demanding a serious candidate, then we abandoned Moawad's candidacy and crossed Minister Jihad Azour to meet them halfway, but they obstructed the quorum as usual," Abdelmassih mentioned.
Furthermore, Abdelmassih indicated that they have no solution other than participating in democratic elections, stating that they will nominate their candidate and we will nominate ours, awaiting the outcome of the elections, whether it is Frangieh or another candidate but, if they want to reach a consensus on another candidate, they must abandon Frangieh because they will not accept any compromise that falls short of their expectations.
Regarding the French diplomat's possible allusion to the Army Commander Joseph Aoun as a settlement candidate, Abdelmasih responded, "if they want to reach an agreement on the Army Commander, it is not an issue for them, but it is for the other party. The decision is not theirs, and they clearly need to convince Iran, which, in turn, should convince Hezbollah."
As they await the next visit of the French envoy, the challenge remains with the people of the country, hoping they comprehend the severity of the current situation and bear their responsibilities, moving away from challenges and political disputes.