After the holiday break, it's essential to restart the search for solutions to crises, with the presidential election file coming to the forefront, even if the path is long. During this time, Bkerke has become a focal point for those concerned with the election, who, under the "title of congratulating for the blessed holidays," have raised the presidential file from the perspective of discussing names.
In this context, well-informed sources indicate that Bkerke considers itself the "mother of the child," thus conducting a "facilitative process" by holding meetings with all parties and gaining insight into their visions and concerns.
The sources, via "Akhbar al-Yawm" agency, state that although the Maronite Patriarchate does not engage in naming candidates, it must be noted that each party has a candidate and could relinquish their choice if a consensus is reached. In this context, discussions in the corridors of the edifice revolve around five neutral names from outside any political party or affiliation: former ministers Roger Deeb and Jihad Azour, former intelligence director Brigadier General George Khoury, former constitutional council president Issam Suleiman, and the current president of the constitutional council, Tanios Meshleb.
The sources report that no name has been officially adopted; however, there are attempts to undermine or exclude them from the competitive arena, possibly relating to the difficulties preventing either side from electing a candidate, as each party struggles to secure the necessary majority. Regarding the candidacy of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, the source emphasizes that the name is still in circulation but faces challenges related to constitutional amendments, which, if they occur, may face legal challenges. Therefore, it is essential to consider other options, particularly since the country's crisis is more economic in nature than security-related, alongside rectifying external relations.
In response to a question, the sources clarify that the names raised in Bkerke have no connection to the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, who might be trying to benefit from them, meaning portraying himself as not being an obstacle in the electoral process, being sincere in adopting names favored by Bkerke, and showing openness to independent personalities. This comes after the deterioration of his relationships with all Lebanese parties, so he wants to be under Bkerke's wing, specifically in confronting Hezbollah and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Here, the sources reveal that Bassil, during his recent meeting with the patriarch, showed "bias" towards Deeb, possibly to confuse the Forces party before moving towards completing the electoral process. As for the most prominent candidate among the five names, the sources believe that the process is still in its early stages, but it can be said that Jihad Azour is the most notable candidate at this point, based on a rescue economic vision and opening channels for dialogue with abroad. Moreover, there are no blemishes on his character or performance; otherwise, he wouldn't have held his position at the International Monetary Fund as Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department.
The sources conclude by stating that there are no means for direct or indirect dialogue, given that all bridges are broken, even at the Christian-Christian level, hence local parties are awaiting external initiatives.
