Gemayel Says Geagea Still Kataeb's Candidate, Confirms Party MPs Voted for Him

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Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel condemned Wednesday the move of a yet unidentified MP who had cast a ballot carrying his name during the first round of the presidential vote, confirming that all of his party's MPs voted for Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

“The five MPs of Kataeb voted for Dr. Samir Geagea,” Gemayel said in an interview with LBCI television in the evening.

“I don't know who cast the ballot carrying my name and for what motive, and although the voting was confidential, our MPs respected the decision of Kataeb's politburo on voting for Geagea,” Gemayel, who is an unofficial presidential hopeful, added.

During the electoral session, Geagea received 48 votes as MP Henri Helou got 16 and 52 MPs cast blank ballots. But one lawmaker who is yet to be identified cast a ballot carrying Gemayel's name.

"Had it been one of our MPs, all of them would've done the same thing," Gemayel said in response to a question, describing the behavior of the unknown MP as a "suspicious act."

“I would have preferred if everyone respected certain ethics instead of casting ballots in this manner,” Kataeb's leader said, noting that the move “does not honor the one who did it nor the parliamentary democratic course that we pride ourselves with.”

Citing unconfirmed reports, al-Manar TV had earlier reported that Kataeb MP Samer Saade “was the one who voted for Gemayel.” However, Kataeb sources denied the reports in remarks to OTV.

LBCI television said there is speculation that al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Mohammed Kabbara is the lawmaker who voted for Kataeb's leader, despite the movement's official decision to endorse Geagea's candidacy.

Asked about the upcoming electoral sessions, Gemayel said the negotiations in the March 14 coalition will take place “according to the electoral course.”

“We will take the decisions that can achieve our goals and this is why I'm not in the race at the moment, although my nomination has been on the table since the very beginning,” Gemayel said.

“But at the moment, our candidate is Dr. Geagea,” he added.

After none of the candidates managed to secure the 86 votes needed to win in the first round, Speaker Nabih Berri called for a second electoral session that will be held next Wednesday. A candidate can be elected president with only 65 votes in this session.

However, it is unlikely that the session's needed quorum will be secured, in absence of an agreement among all parties on a certain candidate.

Y.R.

Comments 8
Thumb kanaanljdid 23 April 2014, 22:46

We really have a shitty political system in Lebanon... I like this Gemayel and Geagea personaly, but it's weird that a Shia, a Sunni, a Christian or whatever you want can't become president. In other places, they would call it apartheid: you are determined by the way you are born...

Thumb thepatriot 24 April 2014, 11:06

Same goes for royalty.

Missing forces 24 April 2014, 00:32

M14 stance is clear and unified lets see the m8 thugs worm their way out of this. Did someone say obstruction?

Missing ramezg 24 April 2014, 04:03

Who are the MPs that cast votes for the stapler? ;-)

Default-user-icon TheOne (Guest) 24 April 2014, 07:59

money talks my friend

Default-user-icon Ferzod Shamkhastar (Guest) 24 April 2014, 11:21

And why shouldn't the Kataeb support the certified criminal? This is the least that is expected from the grand party of collaborators with the enemy and executors of its plans in Lebanon from which Dr. Arreet 7akeh graduated with flying colors.

Default-user-icon Guest60 (Guest) 24 April 2014, 14:20

This logic, poor Ferzod, is probably from your divine victory stock. The greatest murderers in Lebanon are the Hezb al-Cocaine genre, who are now permanently caught in the Arab Vietnam in next door Syria, which you should join without delay. Please.

Default-user-icon Thondo Blajeek (Guest) 24 April 2014, 22:37

Do you have a count? Actually, I have to agree with you now that we see the scores of Takfiri Sanni pieces of filth that have been licking the soil in Syria thanks to the greatest murderers in Lebanon!!! But then I thought you guys continue to confirm that Assad was going to collapse even more with every city, village and town his "shabbi7a" are cleansing! Man, you guys surely know a lot more than can be known even after the opposite gets to be known over and over and over again! And while I have your attention, do you have any new updates on the upcoming guaranteed collapse of the Assad regime? I can't wait, Dr. Areta Satleh!