Christian right-wing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea reiterated Monday that the upcoming Baabda-Aley by-election represents an electoral battle between the anti-Syria March 14 and pro-Syria March 8 forces, An Nahar reported Tuesday. The March 14 forces are so named after a demonstration on that date in 2005, which called for Lebanon's independence and withdrawal of Syrian troops, and includes Sunni, Druze and Christian parties. The March 8 also named after a gathering held on that date was in support of Syria, and includes Shiite groups Hizbullah and Amal Movement as well as other pro-Syria parties in Lebanon. Geagea, who was released from jail in July 2005 after being granted amnesty, criticized Aoun for claiming the battle was only with the Future Movement, led by Saad al-Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The Future Movement is the largest bloc in parliament.

"What was the basis of Aoun's comments?" Geagea asked. "The Future Movement is not involved in the [electoral] battle, except through supporting the March 14 forces. All votes from Future supporters in that area do not exceed 3,000 out of 130,000 or 140,000" Geagea said. The death of Lebanese Forces MP Edmond Naim last Monday has left a vacant seat in parliament. By-elections for the seat are expected in the upcoming weeks. The election has opened the door for new alliances between the various political factions for the Maronite seat in the Baabda-Aley district, eastern Beirut.

Aoun charged that Hariri intends to exploit the by-election to launch a presidential battle with the help of the Lebanese Forces led by Geagea. "The Lebanese Forces is in the forefront, but the [electoral] battle is with the Future Movement," Aoun was quoted as saying. (See MER 30/1/06) A similarity in policies was reported between Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement and Hizbullah on the one hand, and a disparity between the March 14 forces, who currently constitute the majority in parliament, including the LF, and Hizbullah and Amal Movement on the other hand. In the latest parliamentary elections which were held in spring-summer 2005, Hizbullah allied with the March 14 forces and won the elections in Baabda-Aley against the Aoun-Druze leader Talal Arslan alliance.

"The Baabda-Aley by-election is directly linked to us. This is our region and our battle. The Future Movement will support the March 14, but this does not mean that this is their battle. General [Aoun] should not market the battle in that context," Geagea said. Geagea has yet to nominate a candidate for the vacant seat, while Aoun announced he would support former MP Pierre Dakkash in the by-elections.

Dakkash

Former Christian MP Pierre Dakkash has started holding meetings with various political forces as part of his campaign for the by-election, An Nahar reported Tuesday. Dakkash said that he is a consensual candidate because he is running as an independent. "I chose to be a consensual candidate to spare the area of an electoral battle because of the critical phase the country is going through," Dakkash said.

Chamoun Criticizes Aoun

Christian right-wing National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun, who announced last week his candidacy for the Baabda-Aley parliamentary by-election, criticized Aoun on Monday for supporting a consensual candidate and at the same time attacking the March 14 forces, according to An Nhar Tuesday. "We have no problem with Pierre Dakkash as a consensual candidate because what is important is to avoid creating problems in the country. But how could General Aoun suggest Dr. Dakkash as a consensual candidate?" Chamoun asked. "With whom is the consensus after criticizing Future Movement and March 14 parties?" (With MER)