“Hezbollah Threatens Opponents Over Lebanese Presidency as Franjieh Supports ‘Circulation’ in Government Portfolios”

Hezbollah escalated against its opponents who reject the presidential candidate it supports, Suleiman Franjieh, at a time when it was reported that the latter gave the French written guarantees, one of which stipulates his support for the principle of “circulation” in the Lebanese ministerial portfolios. It is not clear whether this pledge is acceptable to the “Shiite duo” who support Franjieh, who in the past clung to holding the money portfolio in all ministries.

A political source confirms that France is still rushing to market Franjieh’s candidacy, pointing out that the French presidential advisor, Patrick Dorrell, asked Franjieh, when he finally met him, to present a package of guarantees. To reassure internal and external parties that his election will not be a continuation of the era of former President Michel Aoun. Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Dorrell’s meeting with Franjieh resulted in the latter presenting a package of written guarantees, most notably his support for granting the government exceptional powers, his refusal to give a guarantor-third in it to any party, and the application of the principle of rotation in distributing portfolios among the sects.

This came at a time when Hezbollah resorted to escalation after its opponents spoke of the failure of its efforts with the French. To persuade parties at home and abroad to proceed with Franjieh’s candidacy. And the head of the Executive Council of “Hezbollah”, Hashem Safi Al-Din, said yesterday: “If some Lebanese do not rush to what is being offered to them now, then the next time will come and they will not be able to obtain even the offer that is being offered to them today, and therefore they must hurry.” Seize this opportunity.” The escalation of “Hezbollah” had begun with the words of its deputy secretary-general, Naim Qassem, that “the country is facing two candidates: one of them is serious (i.e. Franjieh), and the other is the vacuum.”
Franjieh supports giving the government exceptional powers and taking turns in distributing portfolios