Report: Aoun-Franjieh Meeting Not Possible Anymore
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Change and Reform bloc leader and presidential hopeful MP Michel Aoun will not meet his rival in the race MP Suleiman Franjieh ahead of Monday's presidential elections, because the latter did not withdraw his nomination, the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily reported on Friday.
Aoun met with several political leaders after al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri endorsed him for the top state post last week. He was set to visit Franjieh as well on condition that the latter withdraws his candidacy, which he did not, added the daily.
Franjieh has stressed that he will not withdraw from the presidential race although he has admitted that the presidential chances of his electoral rival, Free Patriotic Movement founder Aoun, are “stronger.”
The daily added that Franjieh had launched some negative stances about Aoun during his latest televised interview, which will not make a meeting between the two men possible.
The Marada chief had lashed out at both Aoun and his new ally Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea during the interview, he said: “Since when the names of Dr. Geagea or General Aoun have been associated with a state of stability or prosperity? They have always been associated with a state of war, obstruction and criminality, and I'm not referring to Aoun by the last word,” he said.
Franjieh accuses Geagea of murdering his family during civil war.
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 had launched an initiative in late 2015 to nominate Franjieh for the presidency but his proposal was met with reservations from the country's main Christian parties as well as Hizbullah.
The supporters of Aoun's presidential bid have argued 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.
28 October 2016, 10:26
15
General Aoun has a big heart and considers Franjieh his lil brother. He forgave Hariri for all his mistakes and for usurping Christian rights and will now make him prime minister. No more one way tickets, no more ISIS claims, no more corruption.
28 October 2016, 12:52
50
Of course it was absolutely tragic for Suleyman Franjieh to loose his parents at such a tender age, and it has probably affected him to this day. He eventually found his father figure in Michel Aoun, but then he turned out to be a naughty boy and tried to steal what belongs to his father. We can now safely say that he has lost his father again, and I dont think that there is someone else out there willing to bring him under his wings. Except for the dictator in Damascus of course..
