Coordination meetings continue among opposition parties to unify perspectives regarding the presidential elections, in order to confront the March 8 Alliance and the Free Patriotic Movement, which remain fragmented and unable to reconcile Gibran Bassil and Sleiman Frangieh.
The leader of the Democratic Gathering bloc, MP Taymour Joumblatt, expressed his stance from Bkirki after visiting Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi. He presented developments on the local scene, particularly concerning the presidential issue, confirming in response to a question that MPs of the Democratic Gathering will continue to vote for MP Michel Maouad for the presidency, and that the bloc has no other candidate. He anticipated that, given the current situation in parliamentary sessions, the presidential vacuum might extend, stating, “We support Maouad, and if the other team has any name for consensus, we will consider it.”
Joumblatt noted that “the Patriarch Al-Rahi's call for an international conference for the salvation of Lebanon is not new, and we understand the patriarch's position in this regard.”
In this context, a meeting was held yesterday that brought together several independent MPs alongside others affiliated with the “Kataeb”, “Renewal”, “National Moderation”, “Change”, and “Independent Parliamentary Coalition” groups to discuss the presidential election and the need for legislative sessions amid the vacuum.
While the MPs did not reach a concrete agreement on a unified candidate or even specifications, it is clear that these discussions mark a step toward unifying the opposition and agreeing on one person to vote for. More dialogues will commence in the upcoming phase to achieve the same objective. Additionally, the attendees rejected the principle of holding legislative sessions, with some MPs indicating they might participate in these sessions, according to "Anbaa" sources, including members of the "National Moderation" bloc.
However, yesterday's meeting revealed differing opinions among the MPs themselves. While some believe that consensus with all opposition parties is essential, others still refuse based on the inclusive slogan "Everyone means everyone." It is critical that these individuals recognize that the national entitlement is more important than personal and political considerations, and no single team can elect any candidate on its own.
Moreover, a point of contention emerged among the change-oriented MPs themselves, with an MP from the “Change” bloc denying that he had received any invitation to the meeting, and that the attending MPs do not represent the entire bloc. From this point, it’s evident that divisions are deepening among these MPs, and disparities are increasing. Nevertheless, change-oriented MP Rami Fanj confirmed to "Anbaa" that "all bloc MPs received invitations for the meeting, and I attended representing myself, not the bloc."
Fanj revealed that "the atmosphere of the meeting was positive, with a strong emphasis on prioritizing the presidential elections and avoiding a vacuum, which is linked to legislative sessions." He stressed the need “not to disrupt the quorum for electoral sessions and to agree on one name,” considering that “Michel Maouad is the most serious candidate and closest to support,” expressing his rejection of the principle of disrupting the quorum and voting with blank ballots. He wished the other team would present their proposals and contribute to the democratic process.
For his part, member of the Strong Republic Bloc, MP Said Asmar pointed out that "the Lebanese Forces did not receive an invitation to attend the meeting, because some attendees consider the party part of the system. However, these individuals must understand that without the Lebanese Forces and opposition parties, they cannot elect any candidate."
In an interview with "Anbaa," Asmar confirmed that "the Forces encourage this type of meeting even if they were not invited, because these gatherings can help unify the opposition and bring views closer together. The party maintains constant communication with a significant number of the MPs who attended yesterday, thus the coordination continues."
Asmar asserted that "the recipe for the presidential elections has not yet ripened among all opposition parties and needs 'fermentation' to arrive at a unified name, knowing that the name exists, which is Michel Maouad, for whom we are accumulating votes and waiting for the number of supporters to increase in the next session."
He confirmed that "the resistance team will not succeed through obstruction and blank ballots to push matters where they wish because the opposition team will not yield."
It is evident that the opposition parties have not yet fully convened, but the trajectory that should prevail is the convergence of perspectives that serve the interests of the Lebanese and the entitlements more than procrastination and evasion with blank ballots, obstructing the quorum for electoral sessions for an individual, especially since the Lebanese are already suffering enough crises, and there is no need to add more problems that will arise from an extended vacuum.
