Sources from the "Free Patriotic Movement" refused to comment on the meeting between former Minister Walid Jumblatt and the head of the "Movement," MP Gebran Bassil, merely framing it as part of the meetings that "the Free Patriotic Movement" is conducting with various Lebanese parties in an effort to elect a president for the republic.
MP Hadi Abu al-Hassan from the "Progressive Socialist Party" explained the background of the meeting and what may await from its results, stating to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that "the meeting was requested by Bassil, who has been proposing this for a long time, but appropriate conditions were not available before." He added that the acceptance of the invitation stems from a consistent principle of dialogue, aiming to find common ground among the Lebanese to clarify a vision for reform and the proper functioning of constitutional institutions, foremost among them the presidential elections, followed by the formation of a government. He emphasized that any talks about the meeting being to facilitate specific appointments are inaccurate and untrue.
In response to a question about what follows this meeting, Abu al-Hassan said, "It must be emphasized that the meeting did not and will not affect our alliances, but what is more important is that matters remain focused on practical results through the positions of the other party, thus allowing for a proper judgment in the end." While he indicated a lack of optimism regarding Bassil's potential responsiveness, Abu al-Hassan noted, "There was a meeting about a month ago between the blocs of the 'Free Patriotic Movement' and the 'Democratic Gathering,' which involved an in-depth discussion where we said everything that needed to be said without reservations. However, we did not notice any change in the rhetoric of the other team, as what is required from them is a positive approach on the ground to facilitate the elections and engage constructively on the subject of the government."
When asked if the topic of the presidency was raised with the head of the "Free Patriotic Movement," Abu al-Hassan replied, "The discussion remained within a general framework, and we did not delve into specific names, noting that Bassil is aware of our stance, knows that our candidate today is MP Michel Moawad, whom we will not abandon, while we are simultaneously open to dialogue with others to find a consensus candidate that meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people in coordination with Moawad."
MP Bilal Abdullah, also from the "Progressive Socialist Party," confirmed that there was no discussion about presidential names during the Jumblatt-Bassil meeting, asserting that "the presidential approach of the Progressive Socialist Party has not changed, but it is not a stagnant subject, and this meeting is not what opened avenues for dialogue for us, as we have been open from the beginning, and our fundamentals have not changed."
