Bassil urges anti-establishment president, warns against 'partitioning' adventures

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has said that the FPM wants “a president who would confront the establishment to stop its crimes, not one who would be part of it and a continuation of its course.”

“His decisions should come from his head, not from others. We want a president who would turn Lebanon into an axis instead of placing it on the axes of conflicts that do no concern it. We want a president who would confront nations and reject the stay of the displaced and refugees, one who does not remain silent if threatened by an ambassador,” Bassil added, during the FPM’s annual dinner.

“We want a president who knows that the presidency is a responsibility, work, exhaustion and sleepless nights. He needs to have a knowledge of all files, from economy to finance and laws, and to understand that the presidential palace is a workplace and not a casino,” Bassil went on to say.

Separately, Bassil warned against “any partitioning adventure that some might think of.”

“Lebanon cannot be partitioned and it can do without more failed experiences and tried adventures. Christians are not an experiment field for the conspiracies of some parties, and on our part we will not only reject that but will rather confront and prevent any sabotage scheme on the ground that would lead to destruction,” the FPM chief added.

“At the same time we reject the postponement of broad decentralism under the false excuse that it is partitioning or federalism,” Bassil went on to say.