Disputes emerged on Sunday between the Mustaqbal Movement and the Lebanese Forces, indicating that the two parties will not be allied in the May 6 parliamentary elections.
Reports predict that in the majority of electoral districts, the two parties would choose not to ally, except in the Alley-Chouf constituency, where both are joining hands with the Socialist Progressive Party.
On Sunday, a dispute emerged between Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani while representing LF leader Samir Geagea at a ceremony to announce the party’s electoral list in the Zahle district, and member of the Mustaqbal politburo in Tripoli, George Bkassini.
Hasbani criticized the electoral campaign of the Mustaqbal Movement before hitting out at Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who earlier said “the LF need a Moroccan fortuneteller” to explain their demands regarding the electoral alliances.
Indirectly responding to Hariri’s comments, Hasbani said, “It seems that we are heading to a situation that we do not desire, a situation of economic collapse and threats against health and environment.”
In an apparent hint to the Mustaqbal Movement electoral campaign, the LF minister said, “We not need to resort to methods that protect us from the evil eye because we have failed in everything. We have to rescue this country through our efforts.”
During his speech from Zahle, Hasbani also tackled the electricity file, creating another dispute with the Free Patriotic Movement.
Bkassini later responded to Hasbani saying, “Thank you to the Minister of Health for underlying what was certain… We definitely need to be protected from the evil eye…. I hope you understand what I mean.”
The FPM also replied to Hasbani through Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil who said, “The country and its economy cannot anymore absorb your adolescence behavior.”