Berri Says his MPs Have the Freedom to Choose between Aoun and Franjieh
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Speaker Nabih Berri has lamented that no solution was looming on the horizon for the presidential crisis but said he gave the MPs of his bloc the freedom to chose the candidate they wanted.
“The presidential elections have been frozen,” Berri, whose remarks were published in newspapers on Monday, told his visitors.
But the speaker said that an initiative launched by al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri to bring Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh as president was “still alive because its sponsors are holding onto it.”
Asked what his stance would be if Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea announced his backing for the candidacy of Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, Berri said: “In this case, both Aoun and MP Suleiman Franjieh should head to the parliamentary session.”
“The person who gets the majority of votes would win,” he added.
There have been reports that the LF has officially backed Aoun.
The speaker also discussed with his visitors about the all-party talks and the meeting between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials that are scheduled to be held separately on Monday.
He said the national dialogue's discussions will focus on ways to activate the work of the government.
“I will seek to resolve the reservations expressed by some parties on the cabinet session that is scheduled to be held on Thursday,” said Berri.
On the Hizbullah-Mustaqbal dialogue, the speaker told his visitors that the perseverance to hold the talks is a major “achievement amid the tough local and regional conditions surrounding us.”
Tension between the two sides has been high following Saudi Arabia's execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
11 January 2016, 09:17
61
There will be a fierce battle in Parliament....and the "born loser" will lose again...
11 January 2016, 13:37
13
I really dont know, so I just ask anyone with a qualified opinion. If LF choose to vote for Aoun, and lets say all MPs are attending. Realistically, who will get the majority: For Aoun its FPM, LF, Hezbollah. My guess is that Berris MPs will go with Franjieh ("freedom to choose" talk just bullshit from Berri), and so wil Future, Marada (didnt Franjieh say he will not run as long as Aoun is a candidate). Uncertain about Kataeb, though probably Aoun less of two evils for them. Harb to Franjieh? Final count?
11 January 2016, 14:31
00
It seems Berri and Hezbollah are playing the "Good Cop" "bad cop" game. They both serve Iran's Assad Regime's terrorist agenda. The aim is to rob (literarily) the Lebanese state of its resources in which every way possible and eroding the state's institutions and every apparatus (through corruption and intimidation by Hezb Ebola illegal arms) at a time to the Iranian terrorist regime's grand plans of establishing the Iranian Terrorist Dark Ages Empire (which if established will institutionalize terrorism in the Middle East and lead to a World War three that will vaporize the Middle East in one Nuclear cloud). This is the nightmare scenario that this terrorist apocalyptic terrorist regime in Iran with its Supreme Criminal Khamenei is hoping to accomplish. I have no doubt in my mind that there's a special place in hell for Islamic terrorists such as the satanic character.
11 January 2016, 16:39
22
Because the people say so....
don't believe? simple have direct people voting & lets see.
11 January 2016, 16:49
32
your brainwashed opinion is void.....once again for those who truly want to know what the Lebanese people want as their Pres!
The answer is simple ..allow direct people vote & lets see.
11 January 2016, 17:04
11
At least Michel Aoun is a self-made man, no family golden spoon like Franjieh. Then theres the sacrafice of spending 15 years in exile for his political beliefs unlike Franjieh who lived happily in Lebanon during Syrian occupation. And Aouns MOU with Hezbollah at least contains a plan to ultimately get Hezbollahs weaponary under government control. Lets at least give him the chance I say. Its not like he will be staying in Baabda forever anyway.
OK, now u tell me why Franjieh is better than Aoun...
11 January 2016, 21:02
03
Do the Lebanese have the freedom to choose another speaker of parliament?
11 January 2016, 21:54
11
Freedom...hmmmm....yes technically after the election of a new parlament, but there is very little freedom among many of the MPs who just have to follow their leaders who makes shady political deals in the backrooms.
11 January 2016, 21:49
00
What this corrupt thug is saying is that his MP's will vote in a way to ensure no one gets enough votes to win (under the guise of being free), since Hezb Ebola and he were instructed by the Iranian criminal regime to hold out, so they can initiate their coup with illuminating the Christian Presidency all together in order to establish their "Wilayet el Faqih" terror nation instead of Lebanon.
