Franjieh”s Barter Deal: 1960 Law for President

EX MP Suleiman Franjieh, who leads the Marada Movement, said the Hizbullah-led opposition is ready to facilitate presidential election if the majority accepted re-adoption of the 1960 general elections law.

 

“Give us the 1960 law and take whatever you want. I can convince my allies in the opposition,” Franjieh said in a television interview aired Friday evening.

 

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir and several leaders of the March 14 opposition had rejected re-adoption of the 1960 parliamentary elections law, insisting on a new law based on the concept of one county one constituency.

 

By pledging to facilitate presidential elections in return for re-adoption of the 1960 law, Franjieh dropped a traditional demand by the opposition to control veto powers in the forthcoming government.

 

Franjieh, a staunch Syrian ally, accused the majority of placing bets on a strike targeting Syria “but they do not realize that whoever strikes at Syria is Lebanon”s traditional enemy.”

 

The Christians, according to Franjieh, “cannot behave as if Syria and Iran do not exist or as if the west doesn”t exist. We are part of the Arab-Israeli conflict and we are part of the conflict between religions and we are part of the orient.”

 

Franjieh concluded by admitting that “the general atmosphere is ready for war. The war may not break out, but if a major political personality was assassinated in light of the ongoing tension, then there would be war. That is why we have to consolidate the national unity.”