Report: Maarab Agreement Could Be in 'Jeopardy'

Repercussions of the parliamentary elections reflected negatively on the relations between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces, amid reports that the Maarab Agreement between the two--which eventually brought the FPM founder Michel Aoun to the post of presidency--might be in jeopardy.

During an electoral ceremony held by the “Lebanon Strong” parliamentary bloc of the FPM; shortly before parliamentary candidates entered into election silence; the FPM chief, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil lashed out at LF head Samir Geagea.

“Geagea, who chose to adopt a dissociation policy from Bassil’s position,” broke the silence on Monday and “indirectly hinted at Bassil without naming him,” accusing him of using the State’s resources for personal interests, said the reports.

“Deal foxes are lurking and moving in all departments of the State in order to seize money from here or there, while the people suffer from poor financial and deteriorating economic conditions,” Geagea said.

LF sources told al-Joumhouria they at first “prefered not to respond to Bassil based on conviction that his positions belong to the stage of elections, seeing the wide popularity around the LF party.”

However, they stressed that “the President (Aoun), the FPM and LF are keen on maintaining the Maarab agreement, and keen on maintaining political communication because both parties have intersecting interests.”

Maarab Agreement is a memorandum of understanding between Aoun and Geagea, who withdrew from the presidential race in 2016 and endorsed Aoun instead.