Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel on Thursday warned the opposition forces that securing parliamentary quorum for the election of Suleiman Franjieh would be “equivalent to electing him.”

“I reassure everyone that the kingdom has not requested and we do not receive instructions from anyone, seeing as our stances and choices are related to our convictions and our country’s interest,” Gemayel said after meeting Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari in Saifi.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday noted that “betting on time in the presidential file will not serve any camp, especially the Axis of Defiance and its candidate.”

The chances of the aforementioned candidate, Suleiman Franjieh, “have become nil,” Geagea added, during a meeting in Maarab with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea.

The developments related to the presidential file are “more than relieving,” contrary to “all the tense atmosphere that is being created by political components angry over the foreign efforts,” informed sources said.

The tense atmosphere has been reflected in “the unprecedented attack on the French role, which has presented Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh as the candidate who has the highest chances and whose election would achieve Lebanon’s interest,” the sources added, in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Thursday.

Caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury on Thursday issued a circular calling on judges to “abide by the legal norms and refrain from engaging in all forms of media appearances.”

He also asked them not to “take any public stance on any journalistic or electronic platform without obtaining a prior permission from the relevant authorities.”

The judiciary's disciplinary council issued Thursday a ruling expelling Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun from the judiciary.

Aoun will appeal against the ruling, media reports said, which will halt its implementation until a final decision is taken by the Higher Judicial Council.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari met Thursday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkerki.

Bkerki’s spokesperson Walid Ghayad said that Bukhari has told al-Rahi that KSA considers the presidency a Lebanese decision and has no objection to any name.

A European judicial team pressed on with its corruption probe of Lebanon's embattled Central Bank governor on Thursday, questioning Salameh's brother, Raja, for the first time.

Raja Salameh had not shown up at a session last week, citing illness.

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari on Wednesday held talks in Ain el-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri.

“The Saudi stance emphasizes the need to speed up the election of a president for the Lebanese republic who would be able to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Lebanese people,” Bukhari said after the meeting.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri doesn't have a plan B and his only plan is supporting Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh for presidency, he told al-Joumhouria in remarks published Wednesday.

Berri had said last week that foreign indications are positive concerning the election of Franjieh, a statement that Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea rejected.

The Constitutional Council has issued a ruling suspending the implementation of the law that extended municipalities’ term, media reports said.

The Council will “study the filed appeals and issue its final ruling in the coming weeks, knowing that the term of municipalities will expire at the end of May,” MTV reported.