Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea reiterated in a statement on Thursday the three approaches put forth by his party in an effort to resolve the presidential deadlock.
He once again accused the Amal-Hezbollah alliance of “using dialogue as a pretext to eventually elect their candidate,” Sleiman Frangieh, the head of the Marada party.
On the eve of June 14, the date of the last electoral session convened by Speaker Nabih Berry in 2023, Geagea pointed out that “all possible dialogues among parliamentary blocs have been exhausted without reaching a consensus candidate.”
He said that the LF has proposed “three consultative approaches” to French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian during his recent visit to Lebanon.
He then specified these three approaches, stressing that they are in line with the constitution:
“1- The implementation of the National Moderation bloc’s initiative, which would practically involve gathering parliamentary bloc representatives to discuss the presidential issue in Parliament. Speaker Nabih Berry would then convene successive electoral sessions until a new president is elected.
2- Le Drian visits Lebanon and asks Berry to meet with parliamentary bloc representatives. Le Drian then presents a synthesis of his consultations and withdraws, allowing bloc representatives to continue their consultations. Subsequently, Berry convenes successive electoral sessions until a president is elected.
3- Berry convenes an electoral session in accordance with the constitution. After the first round, if no candidate is elected, he suspends the session for one or two hours and asks parliamentary blocs to conduct consultations before convening a second session for another round, and so on, until a president is elected.”
Geagea concluded, “We have proposed these three approaches fully aware that the issue is not about dialogue, but rather about the opposition obstructing the presidential election until they can elect Frangieh.”
