Report: LF Accuses Bassil of ‘Staging Campaign against Party'

The Lebanese Forces party accused Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil of “leading a campaign against the LF,” describing the election of an FPM figure to the permanent secretary post for this Parliament’s term as a “coup,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

“What happened at the secretariat of the Parliament is a coup on the promises that were given to us. It was agreed with Speaker Nabih Berri that (LF) deputy Fadi Saad would replace MP Antoine Zahra in the secretariat,” said the sources.

Although “(PM Saad) Hariri told Geaga that President Michel Aoun had agreed to the above, we were surprised on Wednesday to see (FPM) MP Alain Aoun nominated. We found out that a sort of agreement was struck between Bassil and Berri to give him an ample number of votes from his Strong Lebanon bloc in return for nominating Aoun for the secretariat.”

The sources added that Bassil has tried to downsize the Lebanese Forces, but the outcome of the parliamentary elections have proved him wrong.

Bassil’s “failure to downsize the LF (during the elections) made him switch to plan B. He is now trying to encircle them by expelling them from the constitutional positions. It was evident in the post of deputy speaker and secretariat,” the sources added.

On Wednesday Lebanon’s new parlaiemnat re-elected Speaker Nabih Berri for a new term, veteran politician, MP Elie al-Ferzli as deputy speaker and MPs Marwan Hamadeh (PSP) and Alain Aoun were elected as the permanent secretaries for this Parliament’s term.

“What is happening is very dangerous. It indicates that Bassil is leading a campaign against the LF,” they said.

Despite the LF-FPM Maarab agreement that eventually brought the FPM founder President Michel Aoun to the post, ties have been strained between the two parties over disagreements on several key issues.