Will Franjieh Stay in Presidential Race?
Although Hizbullah has kicked of efforts to persuade Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh to withdraw from the presidential race following the Maarab rapprochement, reports said that the MP is adamant now to remain a candidate, al-Akhbar daily reported on Wednesday.
Sources close to Franjieh said the Marada leader does not intend to take a “free withdrawal” from the presidential elections, and that he believes that the Maarab rapprochement is not a reason enough to make him believe that his chances are thinning, added the daily.
On Monday, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea officially endorsed from Maarab the candidacy of his long-time rival Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun.
He pulled out of the presidential race in favor of Aoun, in an attempt to close Christian ranks and resolve the country's 20-month political deadlock.
Observers saw the nomination as a response to al-Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri's nomination of Franjieh as president.
On the other hand, Christian sources supporting Franjieh told As Safir daily that Aoun's stakes to win have not practically improved following Geagea's support because “Speaker Nabih Berri, Hariri and Democratic Gathering bloc head MP Walid Jumblat still support Franjieh and refuse to vote for Aoun.”
The sources added that Franjieh might be ready to withdraw in favor of Aoun if the latter was able to garner the support of the majority of political forces.
They considered what happened in Maarab as a political “Ehden massacre” that targets the nomination of the Marada chief. “Why has not Geagea nominated Aoun before the Paris meeting that brought forward the nomination of Franjieh?” they asked.
The Aoun-Geagea agreement does not represent the majority of the Christians, they stressed.
Geagea was a presidential candidate of the March 14 camp, which Hariri is a member of.
Lebanon's top post has been vacant since May 2014 as Lebanese politicians failed to agree on a consensus president.
Aoun and Geagea were angered along with other Christian politicians late last year when Hariri nominated Franjieh for president during the meeting in Paris without consulting them.
D.A.
G.K.
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