MP Taymour Jumblatt, 41, leader of the Democratic Gathering bloc, succeeded his 73-year-old father Walid Jumblatt on Sunday as the head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) at the 49th party congress held in the Chouf village of Ain Zhalta, during which a new leadership was elected.
While 16 candidates competed over 8 seats on the party’s leadership council, Taymour Jumblatt, his two vice presidents Zaher Raad (Shiite) and Habbouba Aoun (Maronite), and the party’s secretary Zafer Nasser (Shiite) were elected uncontested.
In his first speech as party President, Taymour Jumblatt vowed that “the PSP will remain a party that aims for the protection of Lebanon, its institutions, and genuine dialogue, and not for a Lebanon marked by vacancy and blockages.”
He voiced his commitmeent to “keep up the hard work until a president is elected and not pay attention to rejectionist approaches, so as to secure economic reforms and ensure the respect of citizens’ rights and dignities.”
Walid Jumblatt, who claimed that he wanted to retire after 46 years as party head, stressed in a “handover” speech that “comprehensive and radical reforms are more than urgent, and dialogue is the only way to reach a settlement and reconciliation.”
He addressed his son and heir by saying: “Victory in life is for those with strong spirits. Don’t shy away but move forward, and may God be with you, regardless of changes in destiny, unexpected developments, and upsets.”
New and Young Blood
In interviews with This Is Beirut, senior party leaders MPs Marwan Hamade and Wael Abou Faour expressed confidence that the new party leader will live up to the responsibility of his new position and that his accession will inject “new and young blood.”
Hamade stressed that the new PSP President “will successfully carry the torch with the help of young members accessing the leadership.”
On his part, Abou Faour commented, “With Taymour Jumblatt, we will witness a new era of modernity and youth engagement.”
Taymour Joumblatt first stepped into politics in 2018 when he followed in his father’s footsteps and ran for Parliament. His father has since refrained from vying for a Parliament seat.
He takes up the mantle at an important junction, with Lebanon reeling from three years of a grueling economic crisis which has been widely blamed on the governing elite—of which the Jumblatt dynasty is a core component.
“Taymour Jumblatt won the presidency of the Progressive Socialist Party for which he was the sole contender,” the PSP declared in a statement.
The PSP was founded by Taymour’s grandfather Kamal Jumblatt and has become all but synonymous with the Druze community.
PSP votes could prove pivotal in Parliament at a time when lawmakers have failed 12 times to elect a new president.
New Leadership
During the long election day in Ain Zhalta, some 1,500 party members cast their votes which resulted in the election of a new leadership, mostly made up of young candidates with ages ranging between 20 and 50.
The new eight members of the leadership Council included: Nashat Hassaniye (Druze), Mohamad Basbous (Sunni), Rima Saliba (Christian), Marwa Abu Farraj (Christian), Lama Hariz (Druze), Lina Hasaniye (Druze), Kamel Ghosseini (Druze), and Hussein Idriss (Shiite).
Several politicians congratulated Taymour Jumblatt for his election as party leader, including MPs Gebran Bassil, Walid Baarini, and former Prime Minister Tamam Salam, in addition to Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari.
Although he is no longer the PSP chief, Walid Jumblatt is not expected to retire from political life anytime soon. For many PSP members he will remain the backbone of the party, his political vision guiding its politics. “Political life does not make sense without Walid Jumblatt…” claims MP Abou Faour.
