Gemayel Says Geagea Still Kataeb's Candidate, Confirms Party MPs Voted for Him

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel condemned Wednesday the move of a yet unidentified MP who had cast a ballot carrying his name during the first round of the presidential vote, confirming that all of his party's MPs voted for Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

“The five MPs of Kataeb voted for Dr. Samir Geagea,” Gemayel said in an interview with LBCI television in the evening.

“I don't know who cast the ballot carrying my name and for what motive, and although the voting was confidential, our MPs respected the decision of Kataeb's politburo on voting for Geagea,” Gemayel, who is an unofficial presidential hopeful, added.

During the electoral session, Geagea received 48 votes as MP Henri Helou got 16 and 52 MPs cast blank ballots. But one lawmaker who is yet to be identified cast a ballot carrying Gemayel's name.

"Had it been one of our MPs, all of them would've done the same thing," Gemayel said in response to a question, describing the behavior of the unknown MP as a "suspicious act."

“I would have preferred if everyone respected certain ethics instead of casting ballots in this manner,” Kataeb's leader said, noting that the move “does not honor the one who did it nor the parliamentary democratic course that we pride ourselves with.”

Citing unconfirmed reports, al-Manar TV had earlier reported that Kataeb MP Samer Saade “was the one who voted for Gemayel.” However, Kataeb sources denied the reports in remarks to OTV.

LBCI television said there is speculation that al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Mohammed Kabbara is the lawmaker who voted for Kataeb's leader, despite the movement's official decision to endorse Geagea's candidacy.

Asked about the upcoming electoral sessions, Gemayel said the negotiations in the March 14 coalition will take place “according to the electoral course.”

“We will take the decisions that can achieve our goals and this is why I'm not in the race at the moment, although my nomination has been on the table since the very beginning,” Gemayel said.

“But at the moment, our candidate is Dr. Geagea,” he added.

After none of the candidates managed to secure the 86 votes needed to win in the first round, Speaker Nabih Berri called for a second electoral session that will be held next Wednesday. A candidate can be elected president with only 65 votes in this session.

However, it is unlikely that the session's needed quorum will be secured, in absence of an agreement among all parties on a certain candidate.

Y.R.