Some serious efforts are underway to convince Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh to withdraw his nomination from the presidential race, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.
The daily said that some “unnamed” parties are “testing the waters” and coordinating efforts with the Free Patriotic Movement, of presidential hopeful MP Michel Aoun, to find a way to make Franjieh withdraw his candidacy before Monday's election session.
It added that the parties mediating this solution brought the subject up with Franjieh before contacting the FPM.
Furthermore, some political figures keen on Franjieh's best interest, talked about the MP's possibility to withdraw if he becomes certain that the number of votes that he will obtain in the election session are less than the number obtained by Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea in 2014, added the daily.
Geagea received 48 votes.
Many doubt the possibility that Franjieh will not obtain this number of votes, it pointed out.
Speaker Nabih Berri has summoned lawmakers on October 31 for the vote, which will go ahead if a quorum of two-thirds is reached.