Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in a televised speech screened in Zahleh, April 1, 2023. (Credit: Lebanese Forces website)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea sent a message to the political axis close to Hezbollah, Saturday, targeting the party and the Free Patriotic Movement of his rivals Michel Aoun and Gebran Bassil, declaring that this axis has no chance of having one of their preferred candidates elected president.
For the first time in its history, Lebanon is simultaneously experiencing vacuum at the level of the presidency and government. Lebanon's Parliament has so far failed to elect a new president due to lack of consensus.
Speaking on the occasion of an event commemorating the "martyrs" of the LF in the Bekaa town of Zahle, Geagea alluded to Zahlawi's 1981 conflict with the Syrian army. "In April 1981, we said they [the Syrian army] won't enter Zahle and that's what happened," he said. "Today, we say to the axis of the Mumanaa [a term regularly used by Hezbollah opponents to refer to the pro-Iranian parties]: You won't enter Baabda" palace.
He insisted that "any candidate from the Mumanaa, whichever his name or identity, represents the presidential vacancy in itself."
Geagea also criticized the mandate of former president Michel Aoun, saying that the problem of his six-year presidency was not "his identity but the rhetoric of a sub-state," that prevailed, a criticism for Hezbollah.
"That was totally contradictory to the concept of a state, which led Lebanon to [economic] collapse and bankruptcy and the rejection of the Arab and international countries."
Lebanon has been suffering from an unprecedented economic and financial crisis for more than three years beneath which the country is collapsing. Lebanon's relationship with the Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, has experienced tension following Hezbollah's intervention in Syria and Yemen.
"As long as this rhetoric doesn't change, any candidate on this path, no matter what their name is, will lead to a similar result to that we experienced in the previous term," Geagea said. "The time of tinkering and grey and procrastination is gone, and any candidate without a clear identity and who lacks the characteristics of sovereignty and reform is rejected."
Geagea's candidate for the presidency is Zgharta MP Michel Mouawad. Hezbollah has recently announced its support of Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, who is close to Syria. The FPM — who is at odds with Hezbollah due to Frangieh's support — has not yet officially announced any preferred candidate to the presidency.