The eight-member Democratic Gathering Bloc, led by MP Taymour Jumblat is yet to announce its position regarding former finance minister Jihad Azour, whose candidature has been endorsed by the opposition, including the two rival Christian groups, namely the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the Lebanese Forces (LF), and the independent and Forces of Change MPs.
The bloc’s meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, has been postponed until Thursday or Friday, June 8 or 9 respectively.
“We are expected to meet by the end of the week, Thursday or Friday, and we will announce the bloc’s position after the meeting,” MP Wael Abou Faour told This is Beirut.
The outcome of the meeting is of particular significance as it could sway the balance in favor of Azour, who was first mentioned by Druze leader and former PSP chief Walid Jumblat as a plausible non-confrontational candidate, as opposed to the Hezbollah and Amal-backed candidate, Sleiman Frangieh, who was hypothetically rejected by the bloc.
A member of the bloc told This is Beirut on condition of anonymity that “there is a tendency toward supporting Azour,” stressing, however, that if tensions escalated regarding his candidature, “the bloc would seek a compromise solution.”
The bloc is supposedly seeking to secure the consent of the ‘Shiite duo’ or at least their non-opposition to the Azour option to avoid a confrontation in parliament, which has been summoned by Speaker Nabih Berri to an electoral session on Wednesday, June 14.
However, Hezbollah expressed its disapproval of Azour, describing him as a defiant candidate “who will not accede to the presidency.”
