Geagea Starts Preparations for Presidential Bid, Threatens to Withdraw from March 14
The Lebanese Forces formed a 12-member committee to draft a detailed presidential election program to prepare the candidacy of its leader Samir Geagea as he is threatening to withdraw from the March 14 alliance over the policy statement row.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday that the 12-member committee comprises experts in various fields.
The newspaper said that the LF's executive commission is holding intensified meetings to develop a comprehensive presidential program that meets the aspirations of the Lebanese people.
President Michel Suleiman's tenure ends in May 2014, but the constitutional period to elect a new head of state begins on March 25, two months prior to the expiration of Suleiman’s mandate.
The daily said that Geagea informed March 14 leaders that he will withdraw from the coalition if they agreed on the March 8 alliance's proposal regarding the ministerial policy statement.
The March 8 coalition wants to legitimize Hizbullah's arms in the resistance clause but March 14 is demanding that the resistance be put under the state's authority.
The row has led to the failure of a seven-member ministerial committee tasked with drafting the blueprint to complete its work.
The constitutional deadline for the cabinet to draft it's policy statement to refer it to the parliament for confidence vote ends on March 17 as Prime Minister Tammam Salam is warning that the row over the resistance article is threatening to topple the cabinet.
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