Washington: Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt informed the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Jibran Bassil, that eight deputies of his bloc — out of eleven — will vote in favour of presidential candidate Michel Aoun, according to Al Jumhuriyyah daily.
The PSP confirmed that “the final decision will be taken following a meeting between Jumblatt and Aoun, although the FPM leader was now in the lead no matter what”. Jumblatt added that the party would withdraw the candidacy of Henri Helou, who was nominated at the very last moment to block the election of the Lebanese Forces’ Samir Geagea back in 2014. Neither Helou nor Aoun for that matter presented a programme to govern the country.
After a meeting with Helou, Education Minister Elias Bu Saab of the FPM hailed Helou’s position and said: “The stance that was voiced [by Helou] was responsible and it reflects a great patriotic sense and it opened the door for agreements”, which redefined convenience.
After initially endorsing Helou’s nomination, Jumblatt shifted his support for pro-Syrian Marada Movement chief Sulaiman Franjieh after the latter was endorsed by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in December 2015.
Jumblatt, who honed the art of compromise and survival, saw the writing on the wall after Hariri formally endorsed Aoun, which explained his third change in as many years.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Sulaiman ended on May 24, 2014 and Hezbollah, along with all its March 8 allies boycotted the parliament’s 45 electoral sessions, stripping them of the needed quorum. This is expected to change on October 31, when Aoun will probably gather over 85 votes — out of 128 — a majority. The sole exceptions will be the Phalange Party, Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Party and several independents.
