Geagea: March 8 Camp Forcing us to Choose between its Presidential Candidate or Vacuum
Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea accused on Wednesday the March 8 camp of seeking to impose vacuum in the position of the presidency following the failure of the second round of the presidential elections in light of a lack of quorum at parliament.
He said during a press conference: “The camp is forcing us to choose between its presidential candidate or vacuum.”
He noted that for decades and despite the various political disputes, the presidential elections have never been obstructed over a lack of quorum.
“Quorum is needed in order to hold the polls and it should not be exploited to obstruct them,” he declared.
Furthermore, Geagea accused the March 8 camp of “abusing and blackmailing the constitution.”
“Today's practices are unconstitutional, they are not a democratic right because they are serving dubious purposes,” said the LF chief, who is a candidate in the elections.
“Lawmakers who did not attend today's session shamelessly hindered democracy,” he stressed.
Indirectly referring to the Change and Reform bloc, he remarked: “We wonder how a major Christian camp that is keen on averting vacuum was the leading bloc in hindering quorum.”
He referred to a March 28 meeting that was chaired by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and attended by the three main Maronite leaders in Lebanon, Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel, Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun, Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, and LF representatives, that demanded that the elections be held on time.
Geagea indirectly noted that the Change and Reform bloc and Marada Movement lawmakers did not commit to the pledges made at that meeting.
He therefore urged al-Rahi to ensure the implementation of the agreement reached at the talks.
The LF leader also reiterated his demand for the March 8 camp to present its candidate for the presidency, adding however that he has little faith that the alliance will commit to practicing democracy.
The Bkirki meeting had stressed the need to hold the elections on time and according to the constitution.
“The gatherers urged the need to elect a president who holds Lebanon's interests at heart and who can effectively carry out his national duties,” a Bkirki spokesman said at the time.
“They will oppose any concession or settlement that will undermine Lebanon's interests,” he added.
Geagea did not attend the meeting at the time for security reasons, but approved of their decisions after contacting al-Rahi.
Lawmakers once again failed on Wednesday to elect a new president as differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances led to a lack of quorum in the second parliamentary session aimed at choosing a new head of state.
While the March 14 camp held onto its candidate Geagea, the Hizbullah-led March 8 alliance, except for Speaker Nabih Berri's Development and Liberation bloc, boycotted the second round of the elections over lack of consensus on one candidate.
Berri set May 7 for a third round of voting.
M.T.
G.K.
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