Bassil urges parties, especially Berri, to commit to open electoral sessions

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has stressed that neither the Hezbollah-led camp nor the opposition can “impose” a president.

“That’s why we must resort to the approach of dialogue and understanding if we want to exit vacuum and collapse,” Bassil said at an FPM ceremony celebrating his new term as FPM chief.

“Let us engage in dialogue and abide by what we agree on to reach the election of a reformist president with reformist characteristics based on an agreed-on reformist program,” Bassil added.

He accordingly called on the parties, “especially the parliament speaker,” to “publicly commit to holding open electoral sessions after the dialogue that should be limited in time.”

“We either agree on a candidate, or we commit to democratic competition between the candidates and accept the result as per the constitution,” the FPM chief went on to say.

He added: “If the West wants to impose a president on you contrary to the constitution, at least take a commitment from it to lift the siege off Lebanon and more importantly a clear mechanism to return (Syrian) refugees to their country.”