Bassil calls for 12 electoral rounds over three days

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has noted that he is “not carrying out an initiative, but rather an effort to finalize the presidential juncture.”

“We agree with Speaker Nabih Berri that the priority is for consensus over a president prior to the election, which would give a success chance to the new presidential tenure, contrary to the approach of confrontation,” Bassil said at a press conference that he held to announce the outcome of his meetings.

“The guarantee would be that those who attend the dialogue would commit not to boycott the electoral sessions, and the consultations period would be limited. We would then hold successive sessions with successive rounds in order to reach a result,” Bassil added.

As for the controversy over Berri’s chairmanship of the consultation sessions, the FPM chief said “it would be normal for Berri to preside over the consultation sessions,” noting that “the proposed consultations will not become a norm.”

“Speaker Berri and everyone are willing to declare that it will not become a norm and that there is an extraordinary situation that necessitates the election of a president,” Bassil went on to say.

“Any talk of eliminating anyone is meaningless and the sessions will be successive for three days and each session will involve four rounds (of voting),” Bassil explained, noting that “nomination would be limited to two candidates should no result be reached after 12 electoral rounds.”