Head of the "Progressive Socialist Party," Walid Jumblatt, will soon meet with Wafiq Safa, the head of the Coordination and Liaison Committee in "Hezbollah," as announced by the media commission of the "Progressive Party." It was noted that "contact has been made with Safa, and Jumblatt proposed to hold a meeting, with the date to be determined later." Information obtained by "Asharq Al-Awsat" revealed that former Minister Ghazi Al-Areedi was the one who contacted the party, suggesting a meeting between the two sides, which is likely to occur soon.
For years, the relationship between Jumblatt and "Hezbollah" has experienced many fluctuations. Following a period of fierce confrontation after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, and the events of May 7, 2007, the two sides managed to adopt a policy of "conflict management," which lasted for several years, before tensions resurfaced again ahead of the last parliamentary elections in May 2022, when Jumblatt described the electoral battle as "preparation for a political assassination of the national Jumblatt leadership in the mountain and all of Lebanon" by what he termed the "resistance alliance."
In a television appearance a few days ago, Jumblatt appeared conciliatory towards "Hezbollah," calling for Lebanon to be neutral regarding external conflicts and to focus on addressing internal issues. His statements, particularly those related to the presidential elections and the detention of Bishop Musa Al-Hajj at the border during his return from Israel, as well as the confiscation of funds he was carrying, provoked a strong response from Lebanese Forces MP Strida Geagea, who urged him to adhere to the Christian-Druze partnership and the "Reconciliation of the Mountain."
Jumblatt stated in a television interview, "We want a clear program on all issues and not just visits to foreign embassies, and if no clear program is offered by any candidate for the presidency (we won't vote for anyone)," adding that, "If Sleiman Frangieh presents a comprehensive program, we might accept him."
As sources close to "Hezbollah" suggested that Jumblatt will discuss the presidential file with party officials, with the constitutional deadline for electing a new president approaching at the end of August, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, a MP from the "Progressive Socialist Party" and member of the "Democratic Gathering," clarified that "the policy of party leader Walid Jumblatt for some time now has been to organize differences with Hezbollah. Therefore, communication with the party is natural, and it is not required to give the upcoming meeting more weight than it deserves, while at the same time downplaying its importance."
In response to a question from "Asharq Al-Awsat" about whether the presidential issue will be discussed with party officials, Abdullah said, "The main concern of the party leader currently is the economic and social situation, the concerns of the people, the budget, reforms, the electricity crisis, the healthcare sector, and how to revive the struggling economy... Ultimately, the basic question arises as to what kind of president any country will have."
Abdullah emphasized that Jumblatt will determine his presidential candidate at the appropriate time, pointing out that "this issue is related to many factors, and what matters to us in the end is that the elections take place on their constitutional date and that there is a natural and smooth transition of power."
For its part, sources close to the "Socialist Party" confirm that the party leadership "has not yet decided on the candidate it will support for the presidency, despite the constant inquiries it receives from all parties about whether it has made its choice and in which direction." They added in a statement to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that they are "still in the phase of listening and observing, which is why they will hear what Walid Jumblatt carries in this regard, knowing that they will not have anything to share regarding any decision or direction they have on the presidential issue, as they have not yet finalized anything with their allies and have not made an internal decision."
They also added, "In the end, the party will wait for the announcement of nominations, and one will be adopted, and they will not come out to say this is our candidate or that one, because that decreases the chances of the candidate rather than enhancing them. Moreover, it links any decision made on this issue to whether there will be a quorum for the parliamentary session to elect a president and whether any candidate can secure the necessary votes to win."
