Jumblat tries to convince Berri of Army chief, and other presidential developments

Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has tried to convince Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri of electing Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun as president, several local media reports said.

Jumblat had met Berri on Monday and both said they were optimistic that a president would be elected in a session scheduled for January 9.

Pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper said Wednesday that Jumblat told Berri after having met with French President Emmanuel Macron in France that the west is leaning towards the election of Aoun, and that Paris prefers banker Samir Assaf or ex-minister Ziad Baroud but would not oppose Aoun's election if a consensus is reached on his name.

Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported for its part that Berri's condition was that Aoun must support and protect the "resistance", referring to Hezbollah. MTV later said that Berri said he is "not totally against electing Aoun" but wants to discuss the matter with Hezbollah.

On another note, MP Farid Haykal al-Khazen, who is reportedly a current presidential candidate, met Wednesday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, and discussed the presidential file with him. Al-Khazen had initiated talks with different blocs in an attempt to bridge the gap between them in order to reach a consensus on a president's name. "The blocs are aware of the importance of the (January 9) session and that the vacuum cannot go on," al-Khazen said.

Al-Rahi also met Wednesday with Free Patriotic movement MP George Atallah as the FPM seeks to reach a consensus through consultations with different parties.

- Who are Lebanon's current presidential candidates? -

According to several local media reports, in addition to Aoun, Lebanon's current candidates are ex-ambassador to the Vatican and former army intelligence chief Brig. Gen. George Khoury, MP Farid Haykal al-Khazen, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Elias Bayssari, ex-minister Ziad Baroud, ex-minister Jean-Louis Cardahi, ex-minister Jihad Azour, ex-MP Salah Honein, MP Neemat Frem, ex-minister Nassif Hitti, and banker Samir Assaf.

FPM chief Jebran Bassil reportedly supports Khoury, Bayssari and Baroud while Berri supports Khoury, Bayssari, and al-Khazen. The opposition, on the other hand, supports Aoun, Azour, Honein, Frem and Hitti.

According to al-Akhbar, the U.S., France, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar also have different preferences. The daily claimed that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia support Aoun, while France supports Assaf, Baroud, and Hitti and Qatar supports Bayssari.

The four countries, along with Egypt, have been working for months to facilitate the election of a president, as crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a head of state for more than two years amid deadlock between pro- and anti-Hezbollah blocs in parliament.

- Is Geagea a candidate? -

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has said that he was ready to run for president if he could secure enough political support.

Geagea said, in an interview last week with the Hala London TV, that although the country has entered a new phase, some blocs are dealing with things the same way they did in the past, suggesting early parliamentary elections to start the new phase with a new mentality and a new parliament.

Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel who supports Aoun, said he wouldn't mind voting for Geagea if he runs for the presidency. Gemayel said he might himself run for president.

"My candidacy is not currently on the table, but everything is possible," he said. "The priority now is to save Lebanon."