The political council of the Free Patriotic Movement announced, following a periodic meeting chaired by MP Gebran Bassil with the attendance of former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, who focused on the ongoing battle against corruption and the danger of the existing system potentially reproducing itself, its "full support for the decision taken by Bassil and the political body of the movement, to endorse Dr. Jihad Azour as the agreed candidate with a group of parliamentary blocs representing the vast majority among Christians and also enjoying significant national credibility." The council emphasized that it is necessary for the movement's MPs to vote for him in the upcoming electoral session called in the parliament.
The council clarified that "the choice to vote for Azour is imperative and obvious to affirm the rejection of the imposed candidate who does not promise any reform or change of the ruling system in the country." It reiterated its commitment to the policy it has adopted, in terms of "the movement standing internally in a position that enables it to communicate with everyone and reassure everyone, and its refusal to align itself with external or internal axes, and its absolute rejection of being part of any project that targets any Lebanese with conspiratorial plans to isolate them, or with pre-prepared revolutions, or security targeting, or external sanctions, but rather it calls for and works to benefit from the agreements taking place in the region."
