Does Sleiman Fanjieh Speak For the Opposition?

The northern Ex-representative plays a very useful role for the opposition. But he’s neither their spokesperson nor their chief negotiator.

Yesterday, the head of the Marada party told Marcel Ghanem that the 1960s election law is a prerequisite for accepting Mr. Sleiman’s presidency. As a consequence, Naharnet headlined today: “Opposition Sets New Demand [for the election of Mr. Suleiman as President]”. But does Mr. Franjieh really speak for the opposition as Naharnet seems to be implying?

In fairness, Mr. Franjieh plays an important political role for the opposition. Like Mr. Fathi Yakan who “covers” northern Sunnis, Mr. Franjieh covers northern Maronites and helps burnish the opposition’s desired image of “National” front. Mr. Franjieh also plays an important role in attacking Patriarch Sfeir “from within”, to undermine Mr. Sfeir’s sacrosanctity.

But Mr. Franjieh also has his personal calculus, which does not necessarily reflect the opposition’s overall priorities. The quaint law of the 1960s can restore the glory of the Franjieh days, and as far as young Sleiman is concerned, this is the holy grail for which he’s playing this game. But to the other, weightier parties in the opposition like Hezbollah and Amal, the law makes no difference to their popularity. In fact, it could even cost them in places like Jezzine.

The opposition is, as expected, putting on a face of solidarity: “We will not accept an electoral law that will hurt our allies”, declared Mr. Nassrallah a few weeks ago. But make no mistake about it; when push comes to shove and a regional compromise is reached, Mr. Franjieh’s “demands” will be the first to be “sacrificed for the common good”.