Report: FPM Drops Street Rallies Pending Hariri's Endeavors on Presidency

The Free Patriotic Movement has postponed the streets rallies that it vowed to kick off after the parliamentary meeting on September 28 dedicated for the election of a president, until al-Mustaqbal Movement chief ex-PM Saad Hariri ends his consultations with political parties and the FPM's anticipations that it could bring Aoun to the post of presidency, the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported on Thursday.

At a time when high-level sources in the FPM kept on confirming until Thursday evening that the popular movements that they prepared for continue, the daily said that “the FPM leadership has postponed the street moves that were intended under the banner of the election of a president, approving a new election law and confirming to the National Pact in government decisions.

“The FPM decided to delay the moves pending communications conducted by Hariri on the presidency, and amid anticipation among the FPM circles that the results could bring forward the election of the FPM founder MP Michel Aoun.”

According to FPM parliamentary sources, the street rallies and sit-ins were supposed to begin following the 45th parliamentary session that was held Wednesday, but the step was postponed and a decision was taken to wait for the outcome of political communications over the presidency, said the daily.

The parliament failed to convene on Wednesday to end the over two-year presidential vacuum over lack of quorum, and Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned it to October 31

The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc of Aoun announced earlier that it has started mobilizing for street protests to kick off on September 28 and October 13 as part of its escalatory steps that are aimed at pressing the other parties in the country to “abide by the National Pact.”

FPM chief Jebran Bassil has threatened that the FPM would “topple the government” through street protests if the other parties do not heed the movement's demand regarding “partnership” and the National Pact.

Hariri, who returned to the country recently from a foreign trip that lasted several weeks, kicked off meetings and consultations in order to help solve the deadlock of the presidency.

Hariri started consultations with all political parties with the aim of speeding up the election of a president, amid reports claiming that he might endorse Aoun for the presidency.

Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014 and Hizbullah, Aoun's Change and Reform bloc and some of their allies have been boycotting the parliament's electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum.

Hariri, who is close to Saudi Arabia, launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Mrada Movemnet chief Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.

Hariri's move prompted Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea to endorse the nomination of Aoun, his long-time Christian rival, after months of political rapprochement talks between their two parties.

The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid argue that he is more eligible than Franjieh to become president due to the size of his parliamentary bloc and his bigger influence in the Christian community.