The Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, headed by Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader Teymour Joumblatt, stressed on Wednesday, September 20, “the need to engage in serious dialogue to elect a new President of the Republic who does not pose a challenge to any party.” In this context, he warned against “wasting time and opportunities, especially as the only alternative to dialogue is the continuation of the presidential vacancy.”
In a statement issued at the end of a meeting chaired by Joumblatt, the bloc called on the government to “fulfill its duties to ensure the smooth running of state services, address the needs of the education sector, and provide the necessary budgetary support to the Lebanese University, which would guarantee public sector teachers the right to a decent living.” The statement also stressed the need to “allow the start of the school year without disruptions from the government.”
Furthermore, the bloc called on the government “to avoid increasing the financial burden on citizens, within the framework of the budget, and to resort to fair taxes, such as wealth tax, progressive taxes and those capable of generating additional revenue for the State.”
On the subject of security tensions in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Helweh, the Democratic Gathering called on the government to resolve this problem “in accordance with the law and the procedures of coordination between the Lebanese army and the Palestinian factions.”
