Today, Monday, Speaker of the House Nabih Berri received the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Deputy Gebran Bassil, in Ain el-Tineh. After the meeting, Bassil stated: "We discussed the necessary legislation and the importance of discussing it, and we confirmed that we should not link the presidential file to what is happening in the south and the region." He emphasized that "it is impossible to succeed in electing a president without understanding, which is why the idea of consultations or dialogue to reach a consensual president is crucial." He added: "I do not carry an initiative; that is not my role, but it is our responsibility to seek opportunities, no matter how small, to secure the constitutional entitlement."
Bassil responded to Franjieh, saying: "Whoever wants to present himself as president or Geagea should know how to count correctly and recognize that we were once one who didn't know how to count, and now we are two." Regarding Franjieh's remarks about the principle of the strongest Christian that Bassil had previously proposed, he stated: "It is true that we proposed that before, but he did not agree to it, so why would he agree now to what he previously rejected?" He stressed that "the real settlement lies in understanding among the Lebanese, and it is impossible to successfully elect a consensual president without achieving this understanding among all parties."
