Taymur Walid Jumblatt (; born 1982) is a Lebanese politician of the

Lebanese Druze The Lebanese Druze () are an ethnoreligious group constituting about 5.2 percentProgressive Socialist Party The Progressive Socialist Party () is a Lebanese political party. Its confessional base is in the Druze sect and its regional base is in Mount Lebanon Governorate, especially the Chouf District. Founded by Kamal Jumblatt in 1949, the party ...

since 2023 and its parliamentary bloc, the Democratic Gathering, since 2018.

Early life and education

Jumblatt was born in 1982. He is the son of the leader

Walid Jumblatt Walid Kamal Jumblatt (; born 7 August 1949) is a Lebanese politician who was the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party from 1977 until 2023. A Druze and former militia commander, Jumblatt led the Lebanese National Resistance Front, allying ...

and grandson of

Kamal Jumblatt Kamal Fouad Jumblatt (; 6 December 1917 – 16 March 1977) was a Lebanese politician who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. He led the National Movement during the Lebanese Civil War. He was a major ally of the Palestine Liberation Organ ...

who are members of the historic

Druze The Druze ( ; , ' or ', , '), who Endonym and exonym, call themselves al-Muwaḥḥidūn (), are an Arabs, Arab Eastern esotericism, esoteric Religious denomination, religious group from West Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic ...

Jumblatt clan in the

Chouf mountains Chouf (also spelled Shouf, Shuf or Chuf; ) is a historic region of Lebanon, as well as an administrative district in the governorate (muhafazat) of Mount Lebanon. Geography Located south-east of Beirut, the region comprises a narrow coastal strip ...

. He was educated at the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB; ) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its main campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, autonomous board of trustees and offers programs le ...

(BA in political science), and

Sorbonne University Sorbonne University () is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as a constituent college of the Unive ...

, France, (MA in political science).

Career

In 2011 he became second in command of the

Progressive Socialist Party The Progressive Socialist Party () is a Lebanese political party. Its confessional base is in the Druze sect and its regional base is in Mount Lebanon Governorate, especially the Chouf District. Founded by Kamal Jumblatt in 1949, the party ...

behind his father, Walid. In the May 2018 elections, he was elected a member of the

Lebanese Parliament The Lebanese Parliament (, ) is the unicameral national parliament of the Lebanon, Republic of Lebanon. There are 128 members elected to a four-year term in Electoral district, multi-member constituencies, apportioned among Lebanon's divers ...

, representing the Chouf-Aley district in Mount-Lebanon Governorate. He is a member of the

World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental organization, international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank, based in Cologny, Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German ...

. Taymur took over the power from Walid Jumblatt in March 2017 as he was a political heir which was part of the traditional dynastic politics that plays a big role in the Lebanese government. The handover was done at 40th anniversary of

’s assassination at a ceremony where Walid placed a traditional keffiyeh scarf on Taymur's shoulders. In late May 2023, his father, Walid Jumblatt declared his resignation as leader of the Progressive Socialist Party after a 46-year tenure. Around 2,000 supporters gathered in

Ain Zhalta Ain Zhalta (Arabic: عين زحلتا) is a village in the Chouf District of Mount Lebanon Governorate in southwestern Lebanon. The majority of its inhabitants are Druze. The Battle of Ain Zhalta was held here in June 1982 with Syria. Masser A ...

, a Druze town in the

Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon (, ; , ; ) is a mountain range in Lebanon. It is about long and averages above in elevation, with its peak at . The range provides a typical alpine climate year-round. Mount Lebanon is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, ...

, where members of the Progressive Socialist Party named Jumblatt as their new leader. Jumblatt was the sole contender.

Personal life

Jumblatt is married to Diana Zu'ytar who descends from a

Shiite Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

family based in the

Beqaa Valley The Beqaa Valley (, ; Bekaa, Biqâ, Becaa) is a fertile valley in eastern Lebanon and its most important farming region. Industry, especially the country's agricultural industry, also flourishes in Beqaa. The region broadly corresponds to th ...

References

1982 births Living people People from Chouf District Lebanese Druze people Lebanese people of Kurdish descent 21st-century Lebanese politicians Progressive Socialist Party politicians Members of the Parliament of Lebanon American University of Beirut alumni College of Sorbonne alumni {{Lebanon-politician-stub