The leader of Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, revealed that “the LF, the group of Sunni MPs, the change and independent MPs, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), and the Kataeb Party,” have held a series of contacts and meetings over the past ten days to decide on a presidential candidate.
According to him, they are supposed to reach a candidate after discussing several names.
Revealing that two to three candidates are being considered, Geagea said MP Michel Mouawad is eligible to become president but that the opposition camp is “not proposing names at the moment.”
He stated that his party does not want a presidential vacancy, pointing out that it is the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, who “doesn’t want to endorse any president but himself.”
He explained that Hezbollah does not want to lose Bassil but does not want him as president; the reason why “Hezbollah is stuck with this riddle because it does not want to abandon Bassil in order not to lose the cover that the FPM provides for it.”
As for the possibility that President Michel Aoun might stay in the Baabda Palace after the end of his term, Geagea said that, according to his information, Aoun would not remain in the palace post-Oct. 31.
“If he stays in the palace, he will become a citizen who is violating the law,” Geagea added.
In regard to his meeting with Tracy Chamoun, Geagea said that she informed him of her intention to run for president and that she is “among the names” that are being considered by the opposition camp.
Related: Tracy Chamoun: Second Woman To Ever Run For The Presidency In Lebanon’s History
