Two days ahead of the presidential election session, political communications have intensified. "Al-Modon" newspaper has learned that the Lebanese Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, met with the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, on Sunday night.

During the meeting, Geagea expressed his support for Aoun as a candidate for the presidency.

"Al-Modon" also learned that an unnamed party has been reaching out to members of parliament to gauge their opinions on Aoun's candidacy, attempting to calculate the votes he might secure in Thursday’s session.

Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil visited Ain el-Tineh to meet with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Discussions reportedly focused on identifying a consensus candidate to compete against the army commander.

Ongoing discussions among MPs, particularly independents and centrists, aim to bridge differences and settle on a unified candidate. In this context, presidential candidate MP Neemat Frem announced after a centrist bloc meeting that “a majority of attendees will support the army commander if consensus is reached. His name will top the list brought to Lebanon by U.S. presidential envoy Amos Hochstein.”

MP Alain Aoun emphasized after the same meeting that “the presidential election is primarily a domestic matter, even though aligning with international support is crucial. Thursday’s session must be productive.”

MP Simon Abi Ramia noted that the atmosphere within the "Quintet Committee" is clear, with Saudi Prince Yazid bin Farhan expressing this position explicitly. He emphasized the importance of MPs uniting around a single stance to prevent the election of a "smuggled-in" president who would favor one side at the expense of another.

Le Drian Visits Beirut

Meanwhile, international political activity is intensifying in the days leading up to the session. Following the visit of U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein to Lebanon to discuss two critical issues—the presidential election and Israeli violations—French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is set to arrive in Beirut on Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in anticipation of Le Drian’s visit, reiterated France’s position on the presidential election.

Macron stressed the urgency of electing a president in Lebanon, emphasizing that this step is essential for the full restoration of the country’s sovereignty.

This development marks France’s active engagement in Lebanon’s presidential file. 

Meanwhile, Hochstein continues his meetings with Lebanese officials, following his discussion with the Quintet Committee in Naqoura and his meeting with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.

Hochstein is also scheduled to meet with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

The outcomes of the security meeting in Naqoura remain highly anticipated, particularly given the connection between this issue and the presidential election, amid the evolving security dynamics in Lebanon and the region.

This article is an adaptation of an Arabic piece published in "Al-Modon".