Report: Circles Close to Hariri Suggest Electing Aoun as President for Two-Year Term
Electing Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun as president for a two-year term is being proposed as a means to end the presidential deadlock, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.
It said that Lebanese circles in the French capital Paris that are close to head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri made the proposal in exchange for forming a cabinet that ensures the interests of his movement.
Aoun as president would also be granted the right to appoint the head of the army, added the circles to al-Akhbar.
The proposal calls for a constitutional amendment and also entails reaching an agreement over a parliamentary electoral law that would not harm the representation of the Mustaqbal Movement and FPM at parliament.
The circles noted however that talks over the proposal are still in general terms.
Al-Akhbar said that efforts will be made to appoint an individual, who is influential with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in order to persuade him to accept the initiative.
It predicted that Geagea may be swayed to accept it because Aoun's term will only last two years.
In addition, those pushing for the initiative are banking on the support of Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi because of his insistence to hold the presidential elections as soon as possible and because he does not oppose Aoun's nomination, stated the daily.
Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended in May.
Several elections sessions have been held, but they were obstructed due to a lack of quorum caused by a boycott of the Loyalty to the Resistance and Change and Reform blocs of the March 8 alliance.
The boycott was prompted by the ongoing dispute with the March 14 camp over a presidential candidate.
Geagea has announced his nomination, while Aoun had repeatedly said that he will run in the elections if there is consensus over his candidacy.
M.T.
H.K.
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