Will Lebanon opposition name Jihad Azour as its presidential candidate?

Lebanon’s Phalange Party sources revealed to Al-Jadeed TV that communication continues between the Lebanese Forces, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Phalange and independent opposition forces, to agree on Jihad Azour as the presidential candidate

The sources pointed out that “the mechanism for announcing this requires more coordination on how to approach the entitlement as a whole.”

FPM/ LF distrust a major issue

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said in an interview with Annahar newspaper that “Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has endorsed the presidential nomination of Azour , but “there is still confusion within the FPM that is casting doubt on the entire matter,”

“The negotiations are taking place between parties from the opposition and Bassil, not between the LF and Bassil,” Geagea clarified, in his interview that was published on Saturday.

“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.

FPM sources told El Bashra website that the party was surprised to hear what Geagea said in the interview and confirmed that “the Free Patriotic Movement will resort to clarifying it when necessary”

Candidates

Several names of possible candidates have been mentioned some have been described as confrontational like Hezbollah’s candidate Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh, a close friend of Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad and opposition’s candidate Michel Mouawad , son of slain president Rene Mouawad .

Several other candidates have been named including Army Chief General Joseph Aoun, former minister of Interior Ziad Baroud , Salah Honein a lawyer and former MP and several others

The Lebanese economy remains severely depressed against continued deadlock over much needed economic reforms and high uncertainty. Despite the urgency for action to address Lebanon’s deep economic and social crisis, progress in implementing the reforms agreed under the 2022 agreement with IMF remains very slow.

Sam Haddad a Lebanese observer told Ya Libnan

“Let’s face it , Azour is the only candidate that understands or able to handle the collapse of Lebanon’s economy which is the most important issue for Lebanon at this moment in time”

A year after Lebanon’s draft IMF deal raised hopes it could finally pull together an economic reform plan to address its financial meltdown, political and financial elites are obstructing prospects of securing any rescue package.

Efforts to enact eight reforms sought by the IMF are going nowhere or falling short, hitting resistance from politicians who are shielding vested interests and dodging accountability.

Delaying their implementation only increases the costs to the country and its population . 

 Lebanon will likely have little to present to the Fund to back its quest to unlock $3 billion in aid, and adds to doubts over whether the government will ever come up with a plan to address the crisis.

The Lebanese pound has become almost worthless as retailers in Lebanon are demanding dollars for their goods and services after the pound lost about 99 % of its value

Azour is currently the Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund where he oversees the Fund’s work in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Caucasus.

Azour served as Lebanon’s Finance Minister in 2005-08, during which time he coordinated the implementation of important reforms, including modernizing the country’s tax and customs systems. Before and since his time as finance minister, he held a wide range of positions in the private sector, including McKinsey and Booz and Co. where he was a Vice-President and Senior Executive Advisor.

Azour holds a PhD in International Finance and a post-graduate degree in International Economics and Finance, both from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. He also did research on emerging economies and their integration into the global economy as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard. Azour has published several books and articles on economic and financial issues and taught extensively.

Ali Hussein a political observer told Ya Libnan

“All the Lebanese are suffering because of the collapsed economy and all of the Lebanese will benefit from having a financial expert who can lead the country at this juncture , so lets stop wasting time and let’s get somebody qualified who can unite the country after it has been polarized for so many years.”

Ultimately, the success of Lebanon’s financial system will depend on various factors, including a stable political environment, a strong legal system, and effective regulatory frameworks. 

Some are pinning their hopes that unproven offshore gas fields may one day provide salvation, but these could take years to develop. 

“There is no magical solution for Lebanon’s collapsed economy , all it needs is a good captain capable of taking charge of it and Azour is the man”, the observer added .

Azour has refused to be labeled as a “confrontation” presidential candidate, Lebanese media reported earlier this month.

He said that he would be “carrying an economic program that requires an appropriate environment in order to be implemented” and that “if the coming period will be confrontational he prefers not to be part of such a scene.”

Update :

Azour is in town

Lebanon’s “Al-Jadeed” TV revealed that Azour, told everyone that he does not want to be a confrontational president, because he realizes that he will fall at the first bump in Parliament, and wants to be the president who will a carry a rescue project for the country that everyone will approve.

Al-Jadeed” pointed out that “Azour had spent the last two days in Lebanon, before returning with a delegation to Riyadh, where he will participate in an economic conference ,” pointing out that “Azour had met the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, Pha;lange party leader ” MP Sami Gemayel, and “Lebanese Forces” party leader , Samir Geagea and former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. He also visited Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh and communications are ongoing with the Forces for Change and the “Democratic Gathering bloc