Geagea calls on Defiance Axis and Berri to learn from US vote

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday called on the Hezbollah-led Axis of Defiance and Speaker Nabih Berri to “draw lessons” from the 15 rounds that were held to elect a US House speaker, rejecting what he called “unconstitutional” dialogue over the election of a new president.

“If only the MPs of the Axis of Defiance and Speaker Nabih Berri would draw some lessons from what happened this week in the speakership vote of the U.S. House of Representatives,” Geagea said in a statement.

“When competition heated up and no candidate managed to win the needed majority, rounds were held daily, sessions remained open and discussions and dialogues followed the parliamentary sessions until the rivals managed to elect one of them and a U.S. House of Representatives speaker was elected after 15 rounds of voting,” Geagea noted.

“This should happen in the election of a president in Lebanon. Instead of holding folkloric sessions whose fate, result and end are known in advance, the parliament speaker should inform all blocs in advance that he would not adjourn the eleventh electoral session… until a president is elected,” the LF leader added.

“This is how we would reach the election of a president within hours or several days, not through calling for (political) dialogue,” Geagea went on to say, saying “official dialogue should take place in parliament between one round and another, not around an unconstitutional dialogue table… that would cover up for those who are blocking the presidential election,” Geagea went on to say.