Bassil Heads FPM as Alain Aoun Expresses Dismay in Electoral Process
The Free Patriotic Movement reached an agreement on Thursday for Jebran Bassil to be elected as its president.
Bassil, who is also the country's foreign minister, will succeed his father-in-law MP Michel Aoun as chief of the FPM.
Aoun will meanwhile select the vice presidents of the party, revealed LBCI television.
The elections were held during an extraordinary meeting for the FPM.
Aoun declared before the movement's members: “The agreement over the elections was based on the will of the majority.”
“I bless this decision and encourage it,” he added, while hoping that the members will be loyal to each other.
After the announcement, MP Alain Aoun, who was running in the election, issued a statement, saying: “I was seeking in this race to present my vision of the leadership of the movement for the upcoming phase.”
“I sought to present what I thought was best and most appropriate for the FPM based on the experience of the past ten years and what challenges we may expect in the future,” he added.
“Ever since the launch of the electoral campaign however, matters have veered off their desired course and it emerged that the necessary conditions to protect the democratic elections were lacking, which is a dangerous omen of division that may threaten the unity of the FPM in the post-elections stage,” added the lawmaker.
“Based on MP Michel Aoun's wishes, my constant confidence in him, and my awareness of the impact on the unity of the FPM, given the major political pressure it is under, I urge on all to overcome this phase and continue on working together for the interest and future of the movement,” he concluded.
M.T.
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