Naharnet

Franjieh: Anyone but Bassil for Presidency

Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh has announced that he backs the election of any figure as Lebanon's next president except for Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil.

“I support the election of any person from our camp except Bassil,” Franjieh said in an interview on al-Jadeed television.

“The FPM's new alliances are out of fear of losing (the parliamentary elections) and they have admitted so,” the northern leader added.

Noting that there is no “chemistry” between Bassil and 90% of Lebanon's politicians, “except for Hizbullah,” Franjieh emphasized that “Bassil does not have the right to classify others.”

As for the elections in the mainly Christian north Lebanon district, Franjieh noted that “only after allying with Independence Movement leader Michel Mouawad and al-Mustaqbal Movement Bassil has managed to secure the needed electoral threshold” for his list.

“In the strategic policies, there is no dispute with the FPM and President (Michel) Aoun has maintained his stances,” the Marada chief added.

“If they ask me to choose between Bassil and (Lebanese Forces leader Samir) Geagea for the presidency, I would choose Bassil because he is from our camp,” Franjieh said but added that “should Geagea become president, he will definitely treat us better than Bassil.”


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