REPORT: MP Fatfat says Aoun’s initiative will be examined according...

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Head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Mohammad Raad stated on Wednesday that the initiative of Change and Reform Bloc leader MP Michel Aoun aims at finding solutions for the country’s current stalemate, emphasizing that the presented solutions are realistic.

Following a meeting with Change and Reform Bloc MPs, Deputy Raad stressed that regional circumstances should push Lebanese factions towards the election of a new president in order to restore the work of all constitutional institutions.

In turn, MP Emile Rahme said that Aoun’s initiative forges an opportunity to find solutions for the country’s pending issues. As for the Future bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat, he noted that the initiative will be duly “examined and studied” based on the Taef accord.

For his part, former Prime Minister Najib Mikati said after meeting the Change and Reform bloc MPs that he welcomes any initiative that solves the current crisis, mainly the presidential vacuum.

Change and Reform bloc MPs have been visiting for the past 2 days Lebanese rival parties to present the initiative set forth by the Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun as part of his bid to end the longstanding presidential vacuum.

Aoun's initiative states four solutions to the presidential deadlock, the election of a president straight from the people in two phases, first by the Christians, who would eliminate candidates and on a second phase by the Lebanese people.

Another solution would be a popular referendum and the candidate who obtains most votes would be elected by the parliament as a new president.

The initiative also includes electing the Maronite candidate who obtains the majority of representation at the parliament, while the fourth solution states staging the parliamentary elections before of the presidential polls based on a new electoral law that provides equality between Christians and Muslims.

Lebanon officially entered presidential vacuum last year on May 25 after the six-year term of former President Michel Sleiman expired. Lawmakers have repeatedly failed to choose a successor to the head of state.

The impasse highlights the stark political divisions in the country.

For more details, watch Bassam Abou Zeid's full report in the video above