Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt. (Credit: AFP file)
BEIRUT — Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) head Walid Joumblatt lamented Monday that Lebanese political leaders had not yet reached a compromise on who to name as the country's next president.
Lebanon has been without a head of state for more than six months, after former president Michel Aoun's term ended Oct. 31 with no successor in place. Parliament, which is tasked with electing the next president, has convened 11 times to do so, but failed with no clear winner. A 12th session is not yet planned.
So far, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, who is close to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, has the support of Hezbollah and Amal for the job of president, while opposing parties have cast their ballots for independent Zgharta MP Michel Moawad.
"We said no to a candidate who would challenge" Hezbollah, Joumblatt said Monday evening on the LBCI television channel, adding that he and his political allies had proposed a potential "compromise." He stopped short of explaining the details of this apparent compromise.