NNA - Head of the Progressive Socialist Party and the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc, MP Taymour Jumblatt, called today for a “rational dialogue” over all proposals that “come at a time when some are seeking to revive the partition projects in the region,” which is facing major challenges.

He also called for "the involvement of young men and women in the upcoming municipal elections" and for carrying out "the required reforms."

Jumblatt believed that "it is necessary to establish a national body to abolish political sectarianism in the country and establish a senate."

"This is not a demand of ours alone, but rather a national reform demand," he asserted.

The MP’s words came in his speech at the launching of the Progressive Socialist Party's activities pertaining to municipal development in a conference held today in Baakline, with the participation of Interior and Municipalities Minister's representative, Mount Lebanon Governor Mohammad Makkawi, and Deputies Marwan Hamadeh, Hadi Abu Al-Hassan, Bilal Abdallah and Faisal Al-Sayegh, former Minister Ziad Baroud, PSP Vice Head Habouba Aoun, PSP Secretary General Dhafer Nasser, Progressive Youth Organization's Secretary-General Ajaj Abi Rafeh, and other prominent figures from the region.

Jumblatt reiterated the Progressive Socialist Party’s call for working directly with the people and its commitment to supporting municipal councils.

He said, “We have called, and continue to call, for the implementation of administrative decentralization and the strengthening of the role of local councils. Because we believe that all of Lebanon, with its entire regions, deserves the opportunity for prosperity and development, we stress the need to give municipalities broader powers to manage the affairs of towns and reduce the burdens on the people, as stipulated in the Taif Agreement.”

“We must believe that municipal work is independent of the electoral process. Elections are a democratic process, and their results should not affect the course of municipal work,” Jumblatt underlined.

===========R.Sh.