Dr.Geagea: Lebanese Forces to vote for president with reservations on the method of election
Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea said in a live press conference that “the Lebanese forces confirm their commitment to the Lebanese constitution and its rules that organize the state,” and pointed out that the importance of filling the presidential position was always a motive for the LF to elect a president.
“The LF see that electing a new president is the way to return to the institutions, and to open a new page on the path of stability and partnership,” Geagea said, adding, “The LF have always emphasized the importance of abiding by the constitutional procedure to elect a president, and the method by which the president will be elected is a violation of the constitution by the parliament, and especially a violation by Speaker Nabih Berri through his unilateral explanation of article 74 of the constitution.”
Geagea said that each party has its parliamentary and public representation, and all these issues will be considered when a new cabinet is formed.
“Even though we object to violating article 49 of the constitution, and in an attempt to not drag the country back to the state it was in before the Doha agreement, the LF announces that they will be participating and voting in the parliamentary session for presidential elections,” Geagea said.
Geagea confirmed that the LF are at the core of the March 14 alliance, and will remain in it until a real state is formed and Lebanon gets its independence and sovereignty back.
Geagea said, “We could have gone through the constitutional procedure for electing a president, and I don’t understand this insistence on electing him in an unconstitutional manner. I don’t know if this is something for the future, or if it’s revenge against the cabinet, but they made a mistake against the constitution and against General Sleiman.”
“General Aoun has a firm belief that the only way the Christians can get their rights is for him to be president, but he never really wanted the benefit of the Christians,” and added, “That is why he was asking for an interim cabinet and not for the election of a president, and he is not electing the president willingly.”
Geagea revealed that in Doha there were four calls from Mottaki to Hezbollah to accept the agreement, and they told General Aoun that they were not able to reject it.
“Are the rights of the Christians returned by putting the interests of the Christians on the same line with the benefits of the Hezbollah to increase their share in the Lebanese cabinet?” Geagea asked, adding, “Are the rights of the Christians returned by providing a cover for Hezbollah over the last two years and allowing them to do what they did in Beirut?”
“Didn’t the Christians have electoral interests in the South, North and Bekaa? General Aoun was absent from these interests, and if he had any role, then we had a thousand roles to reach the current electoral law.”
Geagea pointed out that Hezbollah cannot give its allies, like Talal Arslan and Sleiman Franjieh, any seats in the cabinet since they can only give them to their Shia allies.
“We believe that we have opened a new page with all the parties, including Amal and Hezbollah,” Geagea said, “But that does not mean that we have backed away from our demands, and confronting Israel must be done through the Lebanese state.”
Geagea pointed out that this was the first time an Arab agreement was reached without any mention of Hezbollah and the resistance.
“The only side that is allowed to choose the political patriarch of the Christians is the Christian public. Amal, Hezbollah and their allies cannot choose the political patriarch of the Christians.” Geagea said.