BEIRUT: The Free Patriotic Movement and the Progressive Socialist Party Monday called for calm among their supporters after a week of intense rhetoric between officials from both groups.
The FPM issued a circular directing its representatives, MPs and caretaker ministers to adopt a “media calm” with the PSP and refrain from making comments to media outlets or publishing social media posts about the PSP after “the debates and campaigns took a loathful sectarian course,” the FPM said.
The PSP issued a similar circular, asking its affiliates to avoid engaging in political or media debates with the FPM, according to a statement that was released.
The relationship between the PSP and the FPM has soured since the May 6 parliamentary elections, but it reached a particularly new low last week after caretaker Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh removed Hilda al-Khoury from her role as head of the ministry’s official exams department.
The move by Hamadeh, who represents the PSP in Cabinet, was interpreted by the FPM as a jab against it as Khoury is affiliated with the FPM.