Opposition forces nominate Jihad Azour for Lebanese Presidency amidst charged political atmosphere

.Opposition forces and major Christian parties, such as the Free Patriotic Movement, the Lebanese Forces, and the Lebanese Kataeb, announced the candidacy of Jihad Azour for the presidency of the Republic, after discussions and negotiations conducted by the opposition with the Free Patriotic Movement, which resulted in his support.

While Jihad Azour stated that his candidacy for the position “is not a challenge to anyone,” but rather “a call for unity and the search for common grounds” to get out of the crisis in the country.

Azour said in a statement on Monday: “I do not want my candidacy to be the minimum intersection between the positions and projects of the various political forces, but rather the maximum convergence between the dreams of the Lebanese men and women for a homeland that we all deserve.”

He continued, “I am not a descendant of an ancient political family, nor am I the son of partisan experience, nor am I a champion of a sect in the face of another sect or sects.”

On Sunday, Suleiman Franjieh, the candidate of “Hezbollah” and the “Amal Movement” (two Shiites) for the presidency of Lebanon, said, “Azour is the son of the system, as he held the position of Minister of Finance in the Fouad Siniora government from 2005 to 2008.”

In his statement, Azour explained: “In front of this scene, we have no choice but to put aside what divides us, transcend narrow alignments and considerations, and unite on one common goal, which is to save our country.”

He added, “Azaour’s jihad is not a challenge to anyone,” explaining that his candidacy is “a call for unity, breaking lineups, and searching for common grounds in order to get out of the crisis.”

Next Wednesday, Lebanon is awaiting a parliamentary session to elect a president for the republic amid a charged political atmosphere, with the opposition forces announcing their support for Azour’s candidacy for the post of president, in return for the support of the “Hezbollah” and “Amal Movement” Franjieh for the post.

Azour used to hold the position of Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund, but he suspended his duties now after his candidacy to avoid any conflict of interest, according to what the fund recently announced, and he previously held the position of Minister of Finance (2005-2008).

Since September 2022, the Lebanese parliament has failed in 11 sessions, the last of which was on January 12, by electing a new president for the country to succeed Michel Aoun, whose term ended on October 31, 2022.

In addition to the political crisis, the country has been afflicted by a severe economic crisis since 2019, which led to a financial collapse and a deterioration in living conditions, while Beirut is seeking to conclude an agreement with the IMF to reach a debt program and stop the collapse.