The presidential race has officially started in every sense of the word, with candidates beginning their rounds among influential political forces in the country to gauge opinions and connect with major parliamentary blocs. However, the final picture remains unclear, and not all names have entered the fray yet, with only a month and two days left before the constitutional period allowing the Speaker of the Parliament to call for a session to elect a president. It is expected that names will emerge gradually as the days progress, including some that may be outside the realm of expectations and not on the list of prominent figures.
As usual, rumors have begun to race ahead of the impending deadlines. Yesterday, Lebanese citizens became preoccupied with an inaccurate report about a meeting between Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt and the head of the Hezbollah Liaison and Coordination Committee, Wafiq Safa, discussing the presidential file. This was clarified by the media commission of the Progressive Socialist Party, which denied the news, as did Jumblatt himself, who confirmed that "when I meet any delegation, it will not be in secrecy but in public," adding, "Enough with the analyses regarding the presidential entitlement," asserting that "my concern is reform."
There is no doubt that Arab and international capitals have a direct influence on this entitlement, with Paris being at the forefront. Paris has launched its efforts in this context and is accompanying the entitlement through two paths: the first is reform-related, linked to aid and the adoption of reforms. For this reason, the French envoy Pierre Dukan was in Beirut a few days ago, meeting political figures and emphasizing the approval of terms requested by the International Monetary Fund. The second path is diplomatic, involving communication with international leaders, notably Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Salman, whom he met the day before yesterday.
