Geagea Says he's Not Maneuvering in Endorsing Aoun Candidacy
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea denied that the LF was maneuvering on its possible backing for Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun for the presidency.
“We are not maneuvering on our choice to back Aoun as a candidate,” al-Joumhouria daily on Wednesday quoted Geagea as saying. “We have many reasons for taking such a decision.”
According to the newspaper, Geagea told LF officials that endorsing Aoun's candidacy for the presidency would contribute to limiting tension among Christian parties.
The LF chief began mulling to support Aoun after his ally al-Mustaqbal movement leader Saad Hariri stood firm on his support for Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh.
Franjieh is Aoun's ally but relations between them reached an all-time low after Hariri met with the Marada chief in Paris late last year to strike a deal with him on the presidency.
The deal lied in bringing Franjieh as president in return for allowing Hariri, a former prime minister, to lead the government.
Lebanon's top Christian post has been vacant since the term of former President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014. The rivalry between Aoun and Geagea is partly to be blamed for the vacuum at Baabda Palace.
Asked whether he thought that the Change and Reform chief would re-consider the LF as its rival after his possible election as president, Geagea said: “Who can guarantee the other?”
“We are engaging in dialogue with Aoun on all controversial issues … Our official decision to back his candidacy would not be made without a final and clear agreement.”
“The coming days will reveal more deals,” Geagea added.
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