Sleiman Frangieh, the head of the Marada Party, does not consider himself defeated. On Monday, after a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berry, Frangieh, the candidate for presidency backed by the Amal movement and Hezbollah, stated that he remains in the running to become president of the Republic.
In recent weeks, following the onset of the Israeli war, Hezbollah's party has faced heavy losses, particularly with the assassination of its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah. In this context, Berri appeared to take a significant step back on the presidential issue, abandoning dialogue as a precondition for the election and asserting that Lebanon needs a "consensual" president who would "not be a challenge for anyone."
Many observers interpreted this as an indication that Frangieh's candidacy was being sidelined. Both, the Berri and the Frangieh were keen to correct this impression.
"Berry continues to support my candidacy," Frangieh asserted on Monday. "Some have declared their surrender even before the battle, but we are waiting to see the results of this battle," he added.
He also clarified that a president who satisfies everyone "would do nothing," instead calling for the election of a president with political legitimacy who is "patriotic, Arab, and believes in the Arab identity of the country while protecting the resistance." This positions him as a candidate compatible with both Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia — which seems indifferent to his candidacy — and with Hezbollah, his main supporter.
'An agreement could still be reached'
In this context, the leader from Zgharta reaffirmed his alliance with Hezbollah and Amal. "Some bet on Israel and prefer it to their national partner. If Israel wins, the defeat will be for everyone in Lebanon," he said. When asked whether Iran had "sold" Hezbollah, Frangieh responded that "the axis of resistance does not engage in policies of sale and transactions, unlike the other parties, which have sold [each other] in many contexts."
He expressed concern that Israel might provoke internal unrest in Lebanon, stating he is ready "to make all necessary sacrifices to avoid any discord," emphasizing that the main priority is to protect Lebanon's future. He also affirmed his support for Palestine and the Palestinian people.
For his part, Berri stated in an interview with the newspaper al-Joumhouriya that his calls for the election of a consensual president do not necessarily imply a withdrawal of his candidate. "An agreement could still be found to elect Frangieh," he said. "To my knowledge, the balances within Parliament have not changed, nor have the sizes of the parliamentary blocs. Therefore, no party has a majority that would allow it to decide alone on the president's identity. That is why we call for consensus."
He added that he believes that despite the assassination of Nasrallah, the power dynamics in the country have not shifted.
Berri confirmed that he "no longer insists" on pre-dialogue to convene an electoral session, stating he is ready to do so "as soon as it is possible to guarantee a majority of 86 votes for a candidate."
No intention of marginalization
Regarding the absence of any Christian personalities at the meeting in Ain al-Tineh, which gathered Berri with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, causing some discomfort in Christian circles, the Parliament Speaker assured that it was not an attempt to exclude Christians.
"We feared that by inviting one personality and not another, it might provoke sensitivities and interpretations that we did not need," he said. "In any case, we tried to compensate for this lack of form with substance by issuing a purely national statement, through which we wanted to send positive messages. We hope that others will show the same reciprocity."
Finally, Berri reiterated Lebanon's commitment "to respect the joint American, French, European, and Arab call, which was issued on Sept. 25, calling for an immediate cease-fire for 21 days, during which negotiations would continue to reach a final agreement for the implementation of Resolution 1701."
Lebanon has entered its second year with a deadlock in presidential elections.