Third-man solution: Army chief name returns after presidential stalemate
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has visited Qatar to discuss the Lebanese presidential file with Qatari officials, media reports said.
The Qataris, encouraged by the U.S., suggested again the nomination of Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun during their meeting with Bassil on Sunday, al-Akhabar newspaper said.
The daily reported Monday that anti-Franjieh MPs are bidding on a third-man solution that would withdraw the nomination of the two rival presidential candidates Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh and former Finance Minister Jihad Azour.
French President Emmanuel Macron's new special envoy for Lebanon will also propose the election of the army commander as he visits Beirut on Wednesday, diplomatic sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Monday.
Lawmakers failed last week for a 12th time to elect a new president, as neither candidate had enough support to get the required two-thirds majority to win in the first round of voting.
Wednesday's vote, like the previous 11 attempts, was likely a way for political forces to gauge their respective electoral weight but no candidate was expected to become president.
Both parties know that their candidate can't win in the first round of voting and both said they would strip the session of its quorum if they sensed that the other candidate could get the needed 65 votes in the second round.
A stalemate could pave the way for protracted negotiations "that would ultimately reach a third-man solution", analyst Karim Bitar told AFP.
19 June 2023, 14:32
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For those of you in the know: Would Joseph Aoun be a Michel Suleiman-kind of president, or (heaven forbid) the Emile Lahoud-kind?
20 June 2023, 03:47
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France suggesting presidential candidates is a breach of international law and a violation of Lebanon's constitution and sovereignty. We musn't ever forget that France was one of the main contributors to the Israeli blockade of Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War. France provided military aid and training to the Israel Defense Forces, and was involved in the planning and execution of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. France also provided diplomatic cover for the invasion, and was one of the first countries to recognize the Government of Israel's authority in Lebanon.
