As the presidential election session nears, the confrontation intensifies between the two factions supporting the head of the Marada Movement, Sleiman Frangieh, and former minister Jihad Azour, while the stalemate remains unchanged.
According to the Moderation Bloc MP Sajih Attieh member, there is an effort to consolidate the ranks of 22 deputies to form a unified bloc, which will likely happen during the session. Attieh's number is not seen as feasible by sources within the independent parliamentary gathering, which includes independent deputies and the Moderation Bloc. According to the sources, the meeting will convene on Monday to consult with the rest of the independent and Change MPs away from alignments. MP Nabil Bader emphasizes his refusal to form this gathering as a front against Christian consensus, and the Moderation Bloc tends to abstain from nominating anyone in the first round based on the previous positions of both factions in obstructing the second round. From within the gray circle, some are leaning towards voting for former minister Ziad Baroud. Deputy Elias Jradeh confirmed to LBCI that he would continue with the same approach, knowing that he voted for Baroud more than once, as Baroud met with several Independent and Change MPs who offered him their votes. Still, he made it clear that he is not interested in their votes, at least in the June 14 session. To this gray circle, a significant Sunnite bloc is added. The National Consensus Bloc, which includes Faysal Karameh, Mohammed Yehya, the deputies of Islamic projects, and Hassan Mrad, will meet with Grand Mufti and both Speaker Nabih Berri and Najib Mikati on Tuesday, with the intention of announcing a unified stance at the end of his tour. It should be noted that Karameh previously stated that between Jihad Azour and Frangieh, the bloc will choose Frangieh. At the same time, the tension between Azour's supporters and Frangieh's supporters continues to escalate. For the second time, Hezbollah confirms its participation in the session and its vote for Sleiman Frangieh. On the other hand, the Free Patriotic Movement is trying to consolidate its ranks until then. Its national council supported the position of the movement's leader Gebran Bassil, by unanimously nominating Azour and emphasizing the necessity for all deputies to vote for him. However, consultations among some opposition figures within the movement are ongoing to find an alternative option to Azour that would be viable in the next phase, away from the white ballot that Frangieh's team may exploit to their advantage. Thus, the focus shifts to what lies beyond June 14.