Lebanese Hezbollah supports Aoun’s candidacy for president

The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has reaffirmed its support for Michel Aoun’s candidacy for president.

“There are signs and there is a possibility of a breakthrough in the presidential election,” a member of Hezbollah’s political bureau Mahmoud Qmati told reporters on Friday.

He made the remarks after heading a three-member Hezbollah delegation in a meeting with Aoun, who is the leader of Free Patriotic Movement, at his residence in Rabieh, north of Beirut.

“Our position on the presidency issue is clear … We will not abandon Aoun and will not accept another candidate. Our position is clear and there has been nothing new,” Qmati said.

Aoun is supported by Hezbollah and its March 8 allies for the presidency against his political arch-foe Samir Geagea who is backed by the March 14 coalition.

Lebanon has been in a presidential vacuum since former president Michel Sleiman’s tenure ended in May 2014 and the parliament’s failure to find a successor to him.

Hezbollah has already held three rounds of talks with the Future Movement from the rival coalition to discuss the latest political and security developments. The negotiations might also pave the way for an agreement on a new president.