Geagea says Hezbollah 'endless' clinging to Franjieh disrupting democratic polls

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in a statement Thursday that elections are the only solution to the presidential crisis.

"Anyone who says there would be no president without dialogue is actually saying publicly and frankly 'If you do not accept my candidate, there will be no president'," Geagea said. "This is unacceptable and completely rejected.”

Crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the majority required to elect one.

"We have tried for more than a year to reach understandings with other parliamentary blocs for democratic elections, but our efforts were aborted by disrupted sessions," Geagea charged, accusing the so-called Axis of Resistance of "endlessly and eternally" clinging to its candidate, Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh.