Jumblat: We Will Not Withdraw Helou's Nomination for the Sake of Others
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat reiterated on Thursday his support for the nomination of MP Henri Helou for the presidency, saying that he acts as a moderate figure when compared to other nominees, reported the Egyptian daily al-Ahram.
He told the daily: “We will not withdraw Helou's nomination for the sake of others regardless of what agreements are made. This is democracy.”
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea is running for the presidency as the candidate of the March 14 alliance, while the March 8 camp's Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun said that he will only run for the post if there is consensus on his nomination.
“Geagea and Aoun are nominees, whoever wants to, can support them, but we back Helou's candidacy because he is moderate and advocates dialogue,” continued Jumblat.
Asked by the daily about Syrian President Bashar Assad's backing of Aoun's nomination, the MP replied: “It is not an honor for anyone to receive Bashar's support.”
“We will have the final word in this matter,” he said of Syria's support for the FPM leader.
Commenting on the rapprochement between Aoun and the head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri over the presidential elections, Jumblat reiterated his Democratic Gathering bloc's support for Helou.
“I have taken a centrist role. Whatever takes place between major political powers is not my concern,” he stressed.
“We are better off electing a president in order to avoid prolonged vacuum in the presidency, but I cannot predict what may happen in the future,” he replied in response to a question about the political blocs' failure to agree on a candidate.
Parliament has failed to elect a president after seven rounds of presidential elections.
Quorum was met during the first session, while the remaining six were not held due to a boycott of the majority of March 8 lawmakers due to the ongoing dispute over a presidential candidate.
Lebanon has been plunged in presidential vacuum since President Michel Suleiman's term ended on May 25.
The next presidential elections session is scheduled for July 2.
M.T.
G.K.
19 June 2014, 12:23
52
popular vote for presidency will curb outside interferences and sterile political debates and will curb feudal approach in our politics proportionality in parliamentary elections will give the right size of each group and get joumblat to its right volume
god bless democracy and down with feudalism
19 June 2014, 13:27
16
Bravo Jumblat !
Let Aoun have the democratic courtesy of actually "running" for president instead of "running away" from potential opponents. He's a coward and when cowards are cornered, they come up with threats and intimidation and flex their muscles to get what they want !
Aoun is not getting the presidency. Definitely not with his stance of blackmail, threats and intimidation.
This is not a man you want for president. If he has no shame acting like a dictator to be, he will have no shame acting as a dictator once he's "crowned".
There is no way in hell the free people of Lebanon will ever recognize Aoun as a president. Time to move on and find candidates who actually deserve the presidency. Whoever he is, his job will be to root out all the rats and traitors that are plaguing our country starting with Hassan Nasrallah !
19 June 2014, 14:07
13
Come on FlameCatcher, Haram, Michel Aoun is 81 and the presidency will give him some impetus.
Aoun is acting like a spoiled old man to get his coveted presidency.
He could wait another 6 years and go for it at 87. Patience is important. He can join the "eldest leaders in the world" club:
1- Shimon Peres is 90 years, President of Israel since 2007
2 Robert Mugabe 90 years, President of Zimbabwe since 1987
3 Abdullah 89 years, King of Saudi Arabia since 2005
4 Giorgio Napolitano 88 years, President of Italy 2006
5 Queen Elizabeth II 88 years, Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other countries 1952
6 Abdul Halim of Kedah 86 years, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia 2011
7 Bhumibol Adulyadej 86 years, King of Thailand 1946
8 Kim Yong-nam 86 years, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea 1998
9 Arthur Foulkes 86 years, Governor-General of the Bahamas 2010
10 Karolos Papoulias 85 years, President of Greece
19 June 2014, 14:09
14
If he becomes president, will Aoun be a Queen Elizabeth or a Robert Mugabe?
19 June 2014, 14:13
13
If he becomes president, Aoun will be a hybrid between Staline, Khameini, Saddam and Mubarak !
19 June 2014, 14:38
14
I liked Mubarak up until he wanted his son Gamal to enherit the presidency, (although Gamal might have been good for Egypt but then again he profited from his status as son of the president. Shocking! that would never happen in Lebanon!)
But in retrospect, Mubarak resigned early and did not massacre 150,000 Egyptians. There was some good left in him. Ben Ali too.
Aoun is not even President and has already sold his soul to Khamanei and Nasrallah.
19 June 2014, 15:11
13
It's funny, Aoun wants his son Bassil to inherit the presidency too :)
19 June 2014, 14:55
13
Interesting comment from The Daily Mail website on a story on ISIL:
"This whole thing is getting so boring. Its nothing new, its been going on centuries, just like the crap between groups in Europe happened for 100 years of years. Socially they live in the dark ages still, and arming them just keeps them there! Just let them get on with it and let them find their own way and solutions."
19 June 2014, 16:55
00
The Maronites should be elated to see that the scum bag low life piece of filth was able to locate one who is not of the jins al 3atil. Congrats to that jins.
19 June 2014, 17:22
02
why is this guy still in lebanese politics???? hes been there forever. they are all grumpy old men. these guys should be shot.. the younger generation should take power.
19 June 2014, 17:28
00
@ everyone, if Mustaqbal gives Aoun its backing, and surely all M8, he will become president and jumblat will be screwed. He is counting on hariri not to give his support to Aoun but in the meantime he doesnt agree on Geagea which Hariri originally supported. Aoun might get it finally and they will promise geagea for the next round.
19 June 2014, 17:46
13
Any Lebanese Maronite, until further notice, has the right to run for president just don't vote for the ones you don't like or you don't think are serious candidates. The way the abstaining MPs are treating this is setting a very dangerous precedent.
19 June 2014, 21:13
13
Jumblatt and Henri Helou are the sticks in the wheel that are saving Lebanon from either an Aoun Presidency or a Geagea Presidency. How ironic that Jumblatt is the arbiter of selecting the next Maronite President.
Well, this happens when the Christians are divided, others do the selection and Christians are required to settle for the selection made by others. Jumblatt has so many foreign masters, I am sure he is bidding one against the other to take the highest bid before removing his stick.
19 June 2014, 22:33
00
Why should the Syrians stand it if they have already collapsed more that 7,935 times according to your confirmations? After all, you seem to know a lot more than you are getting credit for, even from yourself. Keep those valuable predictanalysis coming, aboulgab.
20 June 2014, 09:16
00
hahah the nonesense will only bring nonsense ... henri helou ? min bikoun hal fat7all?
