Samir Geagea; leader of the Lebanese Forces. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Saturday that the opposition parliamentary groups, with which his party has intensified contacts, will choose their presidential candidate "within a few weeks," some 40 days before the end of President Michel Aoun's term.
"Over the past 10 days, continuous contacts and meetings regarding the presidential elections have taken place between LF deputies and Sunni, independent, opposition, Progressive Socialist Party and Kataeb MPs," the Maronite leader said in an interview with local TV channel MTV. "After presenting more than one name for a presidential candidate, we should reach a single candidate within a few weeks," he added. Among the names discussed, Geagea mentioned that of Michel Moawad, member of the Renewal parliamentary group.
"The name of the head of the Marada Sleiman Frangieh is not accepted since he belongs to the other camp," Geagea said, in reference to Frangieh's alliance with Hezbollah. The LF leader said his party "wants a rescue president, solid, who is not afraid of anything and looks after the interests of the country, so that he implements reforms."
Geagea also considered that "the axis of the 'moumanaa' is heading towards a presidential vacancy." The moumanaa refers to the regional axis led by Iran and Syria and directed against the West and the United States. On the Lebanese political scene, some adhere to this axis, most notably Hezbollah.
Several observers fear that Aoun will cling to his duties under the pretext that a caretaker cabinet cannot exercise the prerogatives of a head of state in case of a vacancy in the presidency. The governmental negotiations between Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati appear to be stalled due to the political tug of war between the two.
On the subject of his local political relations, Geagea assured that he is still in contact with Dar el-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority, and that a "cordial relationship" still links him to Walid Joumblatt's Progressive Socialist Party, which has recently become closer to Hezbollah.
He also said that "there are no allies in politics," noting however that "Samy Gemayel's Kataeb and the National Liberal Party remain the most faithful to their principles." He went on to stress the existence of "direct contact with the Kataeb," noting that "a meeting may take place soon" between the two parties.
In a speech on Sept. 4, the LF leader called on the opposition groups to "come together" and assume the "responsibility" of electing a "rescue president who will save the country from hell and lead it to recovery." Since then, he has not mentioned his own candidacy, which is not unanimously supported by these groups, although he had previously considered himself a "natural" candidate for the presidency.