Report: Berri Slams Claims that 'Muslims Choosing Christian President'

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Speaker Nabih Berri dismissed the recent criticisms that the Muslim powers in Lebanon hold sway over naming presidential candidates in the country in the wake of an initiative launched by Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri to nominate Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh as president, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Monday.

The speaker's visitors told the daily that “Berri considers such claims as a sectarian lie.”

He instead stressed that Franjieh's nomination adheres to meetings held under the sponsorship of the Maronite patriarchate that brought together the four main Maronite powers in the country, Franjieh included.

The gatherers at these meetings agreed that any one of them could be a presidential candidate, explained Berri according to his visitors on Sunday.

These Christian figures are Franjieh, Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun, and Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea.

Media reports last week had said that there is disappointment among Christian powers that Hariri, Berri, and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat had taken the initiative and name a presidential candidate without consulting them.

Franjieh emerged as a presidential candidate in recent weeks as part of a political settlement aimed at ending the vacuum in the country's top post that started in May 2014 with the end of President Michel Suleiman's term and the failure of the political blocs to elect a successor.

Several officials have voiced their indirect objection to Franjieh's nomination.

Comments 7
Default-user-icon The Return of The King Flamethrower (Guest) 07 December 2015, 08:15

Nassrallah, Aoun, Putin, and Idi Amin are the only 4 world leaders who care about the Christians and Yazidis..... the rest pfffffft.

Default-user-icon the_roar (Guest) 07 December 2015, 08:16

Southern, Alien, mowaten and flamethrower are the 4 most informative posters on naharnet by 4 county miles.... No wonder their posts are in the VIP section of the top rated comments..... No Wonder!

Default-user-icon mowaten (Guest) 07 December 2015, 08:20

yes there was a meeting and yes Franjieh was one of the candidates blessed and approved by the Batrak but really it was never serious. The only serious candidate whose Christianity cannot be disputed and was approved by Sayyed Hassan is General Aoun.

Default-user-icon Randa Berri (Guest) 07 December 2015, 08:21

My husband Nabih is right and what they are saying now is pure lies. Franjieh is a good man, a good christian, and a good shia too. He is like my husband: has his own militia, his own mafia, and supports the resistance.

Default-user-icon Batrak (Guest) 07 December 2015, 08:23

Ental Batrak Ya Sleymein

Thumb nickjames 07 December 2015, 09:59

Truth is Muslim leaders are trying to elect a president because the Christians can't agree on electing anyone lol the Christians wouldn't have to worry about Muslims "holding sway" if the Christians could agree on someone.

I mean it's been a year and a half, and Hariri's initiative isn't serious because Aoun and Hezbollah are gonna keep boycotting anyway. So we're not getting any closer to electing anyone until they even talk about stopping their boycott lol

Missing coolmec 07 December 2015, 15:26

@terrorist
I agree Sleiman is the best of the contenders