According to Lebanese media reports France is still trying to dictate to the Lebanese people its proposal that calls for the election of Suleiman Franjieh as president and for appointing Nawaf Salam as Prime Minister , despite the objections of the group of 5 countries involved in resolving the crisis .
“Despite the objections against the French proposal , Paris is still insisting on its initiative, arguing that “Hezbollah has not accepted any alternative candidates” and that some nominees are “unknown” or “do not enjoy a presidential profile,” the sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper in remarks published Sunday.
“Hezbollah is the side capable of prolonging vacuum to any extent it wants, in light of what it did in 2016, and accordingly France believes that it would be impossible to elect any candidate not accepted by Hezbollah,” the sources added.
“Another reason behind the French intransigence is that Paris cannot suddenly reverse the policy it has adopted for several months now, because that would mean that it lacks seriousness,” the Asharq al-Awsat sources said.
The Marada Movement chief is backed by Hezbollah militant group and its ally the Amal Movement . Both are referred to as the Shiite duo. Franjieh is also backed by Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad, whom he calls “my friend “.
On the other hand Salam is a highly regarded Lebanese diplomat, jurist, and academic. He was elected on 9 November 2017 as judge on the International Court of Justice for the 2018–2027 term .He served as Lebanon’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2007 to 2017, during which period he held the positions of President of the Security Council and Vice President of the General Assembly.
Hezbollah has always been against the appointment of Salam as PM , for this reason analysts are of the belief that Hezbollah will not honor the deal and soon after Franjieh is elected and Salam is appointed , Hezbollah will force the collapse of his government as it did to former PM Saad Hariri .
Also according to analysts Franjieh has no chance to being elected as president despite the pressure by France and Hezbollah
The problem for Franjieh according to analysts is twofold: Until now he doesn’t have a majority in parliament that would allow him to win an election, and he is opposed by the three main Maronite Christian parties, which would deny him any communal legitimacy, since presidents come from the Maronite community.
According to political observers, even in the unlikely event that he could be voted into office, his term would be highly contentious because of hostility from within his community.
Many observers have been speculating that Franjieh will soon declare that he is not in the running. After all he never officially announced his candidacy, precisely to avoid the humiliation of being forced to backtrack on this front.
For the above reasons the Iranian backed Hezbollah was reportedly informed earlier this month that the proposed barter deal which calls for Franjieh as President and Salam as Prime Minister is dead.
Ali Hussein a Lebanese political observer told Ya Libnan: ” France showed a lot of interest in helping Lebanon in the aftermath of the Beirut Port explosion , but gave up after Hezbollah obstructed the investigation of the blast . If France is trying to do the same for the presidency then it is best advised to leave Lebanon alone and let the friendly countries decide Lebanon’s future” . He added : “Frankly with friends like France who needs enemies.”
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