President of the National Dialogue Party, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, and his wife, Mrs. May, hosted a luncheon at their residence in honor of former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Ambassador David Hale. Attendees included Makhzoumi’s colleagues from the Tajaddod Parliamentary Bloc, a number of MPs, his advisers and team members, Arab and foreign ambassadors, as well as a large gathering of businesspeople and media professionals.

In his remarks, Makhzoumi stressed that he and his parliamentary colleagues are exerting pressure to accelerate the election of a President of the Republic as soon as possible and put an end to procrastination and wasted time. He emphasized that the next president must be sovereign, reform-minded, and inclusive, with a comprehensive rescue plan.

In his welcoming address, Makhzoumi stated that he believes change is inevitable and that Lebanon will rise again. He noted that the results of the parliamentary elections had demonstrated the Lebanese people’s determination to rebuild their country. He added that, whatever the circumstances, they would make every effort to implement the reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and develop a comprehensive reform and recovery plan that would gradually alleviate the suffering and crises facing the Lebanese people.