Prime Minister Saad Hariri has kicked off efforts to achieve consensus in Beirut over the municipal polls at a time when March 14 Christian leaders refused attempts to ignore them in dialogue with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.
On Saturday, Hariri met with Former Minister Fouad Butros in the presence of ex-Minister Ghattas Khoury and later held separate talks with MP Tamam Salam and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

Signs indicated that consensus efforts had reached the starting point after Minister Michel Pharaon, who was tasked by March 14 Christians to negotiate with the FPM, failed to agree with the movement.

However, Hariri's move on Saturday was described by Beirut media as a last attempt to take charge of the negotiations himself in order to reach consensus and avoid an electoral battle.

Following his talks with the prime minister on Saturday, Geagea said March 14 was devoted to "arranging Christian seats at Beirut municipality."

"We openly and directly suggested to the FPM to join us in the coalition," he said. However, he criticized the movement for "apparently preferring negotiations to take place through Hizbullah with the prime minister."

"But this time, things won't be that way," Geagea warned.