Perhaps the meeting held by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Representative Gebran Bassil, with the head of the Marada Movement, Suleiman Franjieh, under the auspices of businessman Alaa Khawaja, was the most indicative of the announced and hidden meetings that Basil it held during the recent period, when it brought together a prominent presidential candidate and a core voter in the Christian arena.
It is known that after the meeting to end the estrangement that was sponsored by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah between Franjieh and Basil, there was no substantial progress in the relationship of the two men, and the alleged transition from breaking the ice on a personal level the intertwining of threads of political understanding did not occur, which worsened still further with the entry into the presidential election phase, due to Basil’s categorical rejection of the option to elect Franjieh, despite Sayyed Nasrallah’s attempt to convince him of its strategic needs.
And if Bassil underlines that the current is an obligatory path to reach Baabda Palace on the basis of what it popularly represents, Franjieh, on the other hand, believes that the Christian pact cannot be reduced to the “free current” or the “Lebanese forces”, in the light of the existence of a third line which includes forces and other Christian personalities, some of whom are members of the House of Representatives and others outside it, and who could constitute sufficient cover for his election.
Although some of the leaks stated that Basil and Franjieh had not discussed the presidential dossier at all, there are those who exclude that this dossier was not addressed in one way or another during a meeting between two directly and organically interested personalities. , at the time of the escalation of the presidential vacuum crisis and its repercussions, therefore the “shadow” of this right must have been present on their side.
Insiders indicate that the Franjieh-Bassil meeting succeeded at least in establishing the principle of separating the political dispute from the personal relationship, “which is not without importance and symbolism, because in Lebanon personal considerations often have their space and their influence in decisions-making, and therefore the improvement of the bilateral relationship”. Among those who deal with public affairs, it can then leave repercussions on political issues.
They point out that, aside from the “presidential party” percentage in the meeting, his simple calling gave a message that Franjieh “wasn’t complicated” from sitting down with anyone and that he, as a presidential candidate, was ready to open up to everyone. without restrictions or conditions, «and also demonstrated that Basil is capable of combining in his behavior between the stability of the situation and the flexibility of communication».
Informed people say that the Franjieh-Bassil meeting, whoever instigates it, relieves Hezbollah and partially relieves it of the burden of trying to bridge the gap between them, contrary to the conclusions that went in the direction of different interpretations.
And while the current year closes its doors on a stagnation in the presidential elections due to the balance of mutual vetoes, insiders say that Franjieh will welcome the new year with more stability in his candidacy, and insisting on rejecting the proposal which calls for a agreement on a third candidate, due to his belief that his chances are high, contrary to the opinion of his opponents and part of the inspectors.
And while some blame Franjieh for his lack of Christian representation as a major obstacle to his arrival in Baabda, his supporters point out that “he comes from the Christian background and is accepted nationwide”. The head of the “Marada” Suleiman Franjieh and the head of the “forces” Samir Geagea.
While Franjieh’s opponents promote that the outside world does not favor him and tends to support army commander General Joseph Aoun, some point out that regional and international influencers know they alone cannot impose the president of the republic, and that completing the electoral process requires an agreement with Hezbollah that takes into account the interests of both sides.
Consequently, the holders of this opinion point out that “the regional and international powers take into account all possibilities, including Franjieh, whose strength is that it can form an intersection between the inside and the outside, without anyone feeling the political defeat on the opposite side , while there is Other names do not pass unless the side is a loser or a big-money collector, and both assumptions are invalid.
