Franjieh Accuses President of Meddling in Elections
Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh accused President Michel Suleiman of interfering in Lebanese parliamentary elections.
Franjieh uncovered that Suleiman has dispatched "more than once" head of the General Security Maj. Gen. Wafiq Jezzini to meet with him in an effort to obtain a share in Kesrouan, Jbeil and Metn districts.
Franjieh said Jezzini named parliamentary candidates Mansour al-Bon, Michel Murr, Nehmat Efram, Francois Bassil and Nazem al-Khoury as the president”s share.
"We told him (Jezzini) that Nehmat Efram is on our side while the rest (of the candidates) are pro- March 14 (Forces)," Franjieh said in an interview with al-Jadid television late Sunday.
"But I refused to comply with this requirement and I declined to put forth the issue before Gen. Michel Aoun because we do not accept that we give March 14 a majority via the president," he added.
"We want the president a (real) president. Otherwise, how will we stand by him?" Franjieh asked.
"We won”t demand the dismissal of the president. However, we will not let him (Suleiman) impose anything on us," he warned.
He stressed that if he lost elections, he would be part of the Hizbullah-led opposition.
Franjieh said Aoun and him are "complementary," adding that "we as Christians can become more effective if we unite and not work in groups."