The leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, in Meerab, on May 9, 2024. (Photo taken from his X account.)
BEIRUT — Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hosted Free Patriotic Movement MP Farid Boustani at the party’s Maarab headquarters Wednesday, marking a rare meeting between two rival parties amid Lebanon’s protracted presidential crisis. Joined by LF MP Razzi Hajj, the discussion focused on “the urgent need to elect a reformist president and tackle Lebanon's deepening political and economic paralysis,” Boustani said in a statement after the meeting.
Boustani described the meeting as “fruitful and constructive,” emphasizing the value of dialogue between opposing parties.
“We addressed the latest developments in Lebanon, particularly the urgent need to elect a reformist president who can work in harmony with the government and Parliament,” he stated.
Lebanon has been without a president since Oct. 31, 2022, when former President Michel Aoun's term ended, leaving the country with a caretaker government and no fully empowered leadership. Efforts to elect a new president have been mired in political divisions.
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri scheduled the next election session for Jan. 9, 2025, amid growing pressure to resolve the deadlock. The inability to elect a president stems from stark differences between Hezbollah and its allies on one side and the opposition, including the Lebanese Forces, on the other, as no camp has a clear majority in Parliament.
In mid-December, Geagea said he was ready to "run for president if he could secure enough political support."
‘Reform-driven president needs to be elected’
Boustani stressed the need to “fortify the internal front, both on the Christian and national levels,” to restore stability and ensure a dignified life for citizens. While the specifics of potential presidential candidates were not disclosed, he noted the discussions reflected shared priorities, including electing a “reform-driven president to move the country forward.”
Boustani also mentioned that he was not himself "a candidate in the traditional sense" but that, if he was "endorsed" to become president and the "circumstances align," he was ready to fulfill his presidential "duties."