Bassil says any vote for Aoun should be considered 'spoiled'

As Lebanese lawmakers prepare to elect a president on Thursday, some parties are still reluctant to support leading candidate army chief Joseph Aoun, who seems to be supported by the United States, France and Saudi Arabia.

The Free Patriotic Movement still has not announced its official candidate, but its leader Jebran Bassil has said that electing Aoun is not constitutional. "Any vote for Aoun (in the upcoming January 9 session) should be considered a spoiled vote according to the constitution," Bassil told LBCI in an interview late Tuesday. He said he supports former finance minister and International Monetary Fund official Jihad Azour and is open to acting security chief Elias Baissari.

"When we proposed Azour, we did not consider him a confrontation candidate," Bassil said, adding that he is against imposing a candidate on any component. But Hezbollah said Azour was a "confrontation and challenge candidate" after the opposition and the FPM agreed on his name over a year ago.

Bassil said that Amal and Hezbollah must show more flexibility. "If they want a consensual candidate, they must reach consensus with other parties, including the Lebanese Forces."

The Lebanese Forces have still not declared their candidate but LF leader Samir Geagea has said he is willing to consider the nomination of Aoun if Hezbollah and Amal officially endorse him for the presidency. Geagea had previously said he might run for president himself.

Aoun also enjoys support from the Kataeb party, independent MPs, and the PSP's Democratic Gathering bloc, but Hezbollah and Amal are still reluctant to endorse him and, according to reports, their candidate will not be announced before Thursday. Yet, Hezbollah said it only has a veto on Geagea and not on Aoun, while ally and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has been reported as saying he opposes any constitutional amendment.

The constitution stipulates that presidential candidates should not have held high public office for the past two years, which would technically disqualify Aoun. If elected, Aoun would be Lebanon's fifth army commander made president, and the fourth in a row.