The President of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, noted that "if the reports published today quoting President Nabih Berri are accurate, stating that he is 'ready to hold a presidential election session, but it will be preceded by a call for dialogue to agree on a presidential candidate for the parliament to elect,' this means a return to square one, and the decision of the opposition remains unchanged regarding the disruption of presidential elections." He stated, "It is known that dialogue channels are open and operational among all parliamentary blocs, and there has been an exchange of names since before the constitutional deadline for electing a new president began, but all these attempts have collided with the opposition camp endorsing the candidacy of former minister Suleiman Frangieh and its insistence on this candidacy, despite its inability to elect him, using obstruction as a means to prolong the vacancy, and this group remains stuck exactly at this point."
He affirmed that "dialogue among parliamentary blocs has never ceased, but unfortunately, it has not resulted in any outcome, due to the insistence of the opposition camp on the head of the Marada Movement, or no one at all." He concluded by saying, "From this perspective, the call for dialogue is merely a call to endorse Minister Frangieh's candidacy, while the only solution to fill the presidential seat lies in President Berri urgently calling for a presidential election session with consecutive rounds. Afterwards, the opposing camp can stick to its candidate as much as it wants, and the other parliamentary blocs can nominate whoever they want, and whomever wins through this method, we will all congratulate and treat as the new president of the republic."
