Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Gebran Bassil suggested holding a “national dialogue” over the presidential election, as he criticized Speaker Nabih Berri for choosing October 13 as a date for the upcoming presidential elections session.
Bassil slammed Berri for deciding on that particular date that corresponds to the date on which President Michel Aoun was ousted from the presidential palace 32 years ago by a Syrian military offensive.
“This indicates non-seriousness and carries disregard for people’s sentiments and the martyrs,” Bassil argued.
Lamenting that there are discouraging signs in the presidential file, Bassil went on to recite his party’s “presidential priorities” paper.
He said that the new president must preserve national sovereignty, protect the border and the full rights, devise a defense strategy in which the state is the main authority, preserve and develop Lebanon’s ties with the world, and achieve a swift and safe repatriation of the Syrian refugees.
As for which presidential candidate FPM will support, Bassil noted that they will decide according to how much a candidate commits to his party’s presidential aspirations.
He said his party’s “presidential priorities paper” will be distributed to a number of blocs and leaders and to Patriarch al-Rahi.
“We propose national dialogue over the presidential election, which a number of leaders topped by what the president can do. We have started receiving invitations abroad, whereas it is better to hold a domestic dialogue,” the FPM chief added.
