Geagea wants to 'see Bassil in parliament' voting for Azour before believing

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has endorsed the presidential nomination of ex-minister Jihad Azour, but “there is still confusion within the FPM that is casting doubt on the entire matter,” Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said.

“The negotiations are taking place between parties from the opposition and Bassil, not between the LF and Bassil,” Geagea clarified, in an interview with Annahar newspaper published Saturday.

“These opposition forces are saying that after negotiations throughout the past week, Bassil took his decision to endorse Azour over the past hours (between Thursday night and Friday morning), but I personally will have question marks until I see Bassil in parliament voting for Azour, in order to seriously verify the matter,” Geagea added.

“If the opposition parties’ assertion that Jebran Bassil has endorsed Jihad Azour turns out to be true, then the issue of the presidential election will be practically resolved … But if this information does not materialize and the Axis of Defiance continues to insist on its candidate amid the absence of a presidential stance by Bassil, then how can we secure a small majority for the election of a president?” the LF leader wondered.

“Accordingly, we will remain in vacuum during the current period,” he added.