Gemayel: No One Can Compel Us to Endorse a Candidate whose Objectives are Unknown

Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel reiterated Monday that his party cannot elect a presidential candidate whose political agenda is not clear.

“No one can compel us to endorse any candidate whose objectives are not known to us. We cannot endorse a candidate if we don't know the destination that he will take us to … That's why we have asked for clarifications,” said Gemayel after meeting National Liberal Party chief MP Dori Chamoun in Sodeco.

“We are not reassured so far by any of the proposed candidates in terms of their compatibility with the sovereign and national course,” he added.

Gemayel stressed however that it is important to “activate the constitutions and respect our Constitution and democracy, starting with the February 8 session” in parliament to elect a new president.

“All circumstances are available for holding the presidential election, as we now have two declared candidates and one of them enjoys public support,” Gemayel noted, referring to Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh – who both belong to the March 8 camp.

“Will the parties accept to abide by democracy or will they keep evading it?” Gemayel wondered.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of successor. The blocs of Aoun and Hizbullah and some of their allies have been boycotting the electoral sessions.

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri launched late in 2015 a proposal to nominate Franjieh as president.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Hariri's ally in the March 14 camp, was a presidential candidate at the time and some observers have said that the LF leader has recently nominated Aoun for the presidency as a “reaction” to Hariri's proposal, a claim Geagea has denied.

His endorsement of Aoun's bid was declared in a landmark ceremony in Maarab last Monday and it followed months of political rapprochement talks between the LF and Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement.

Y.R.