A Lebanese opposition leader has threatened to pull out from the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora if it approves privatization of the public sector.

Walid Jumblatt, a Druze overlord who spearheaded the opposition drive that forced Syria out of Lebanon in April, said he will pull out the three ministers representing his Progressive Socialist Party in government if the Cabinet privatizes public sector institutions such as the electricity company and the postal and telephone departments.